Last year we reported that Facebook want to connect the entire world to the internet with its Internet.org organisation. It seems that it is taking the first steps in making this dream a reality by buying Titan Aerospace, a company responsible for some very interesting solar-powered drones. By the company‘s reckoning, they can stay airborne for up to 5 years.
Facebook want to take the service to Africa first, which means they will have to contend with Google‘s blimps, called Project Loon, which will serve the same purpose and also be solar powered. Both the blimps and the drones will deliver sky-based internet access. Facebook wants to use 11,000 unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), which will expand over time to service other developing countries in Asia and South America.
Facebook‘s latest acquisition will not come close to its previous in cost. This one will cost them $60 million. In actual fact, the latest acquisition may help WhatsApp because if they can offer free (albeit slow) internet to developing markets, it opens up the use of WhatsApp to those users. Last year, Facebook bought Onovo as well, which is creating a data compression methodology which will also help users to use various apps if the data usage is lower.
Even though Facebook‘s mission to bring internet to everyone around the world might seem noble (and in some ways is), it will inevitably just lead to more customers for Facebook. This is the whole point of the endeavour. Check out the video of the aircraft below.
Source: Telegraph
Follow Theunis on Twitter: @Theunis_BWB
