Facebook Drone to provide internet access to people from heights of sky

Image: opusfidelis.com

According to sources, this drone will provide the internet services through the Facebook’s project Internet.org up to 5 billion people.

The details specify that the name of this drone is Aquila. It has the wingspan of a Boeing 737 (passenger plane). Despite holding the heavy wingspan, it’s weight is about the third of the Toyota Prius car’s weight (the weight of this car is 1325 kg).

Facebook’s engineering lab has disclosed that this drone is made with carbon fiber. When this material undergoes the heat, it becomes stronger than the steel without changes in its weight. As soon as it launches in the air, it can acquire the altitude of 60,000 to 90,000 feet. Hence, it is far away from the aeroplanes flying height.

Another stunning feature of Facebook Drone is no fuel requirement as it is equipped with the solar panels for charging. It has the ability to provide the internet signals to the people of the earth in a 50 km of radius.

The small dishes and towers will receive the signals sent via drone and will convert them to Wi-Fi or LTE network. Facebook has also said that data and information can be transferred from drone to drone and if it happens, there is less or no need of earthly internet infrastructure.

In reply to a question about the internet services providence to the users through Facebook Drone , a Facebook official told that they are not going to hold the internet services through this drone. Their goal is to just set up an aerial internet infrastructure. The carriers on the earth will provide their services through it.

The drone project has been developed by Facebook’s Connectivity Lab, which contains former researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, among others. The lab is part of Facebook’s Internet.org initiative to bring the Internet to places where there is a lack of connectivity.

Google has also started a project of “Helium Balloon” to provide the internet services to the developing countries. But the drone created by Facebook can fly more time than the Google’s balloon. Moreover, this drone can be controlled from the earth. The telecom companies are saying that the internet services which will provide through the drone will give new life to the telecommunication industry.