Facebook shows off drone it'll use to bring Internet to the rest of the world

[$@rJen]

Facebook shows off drone it'll use to bring Internet to the rest of the world
By Shawn Knight on March 27, 2015, 10:30 AM

Facebook has provided an update on the progress of Internet.org, the social network’s initiative to deliver Internet connectivity to parts of the world that currently lack the necessary infrastructure to do so.

As you’re likely already aware, Facebook’s plan is to use massive drones to beam connectivity down to people below. The concept isn’t all that different from Google’s Project Loon although the two are going about it in very different ways.

The actual hardware that Facebook will use, codenamed Aquila, consists of large solar-powered drones with wingspans comparable to a Boeing 767 jet. Because they’ll fly for months at a time, Facebook is constructing them out of lightweight materials. All said and done, a single massive drone will weigh less than a small car.

Facebook said its drones will use lasers to beam Internet connectivity to people on the ground 60,000 to 90,000 feet below. These lasers will also be used between drones as a form of communication to maintain a blanket of Internet connectivity over a given region.

The social network expects to eventually launch roughly 1,000 of these drones to connect the rest of the world. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the company has successfully completed their first test flight of the aircraft in the UK. Further testing will take place over the summer and gradually roll out to new regions in the coming years.

 

[45'22']

Sounds Cool

 

[rubyjackass]

What happens if they crash?

 

[Viper0011.]

What happens if they crash?

It doesn't crash. The thing has 4 engines and almost no weight compared to the engine power. If one or two or even three go out, you'll have a replacement one up there before the current one is brought down to land.
Plus, if 1% of these do go down, there will be some down time in internet services, no different than what happens during a bad rain, snow, ice storm, hurricane or an earthquake. These failures are inevitable to happen, so you can't discredit the entire process because there is 1-2% chance of failure......

 

[That Guy]

What happens if they crash?

Speculating here, but from what I can tell, another would be launched, and the crashed drone recovered to see what went wrong.

 

[slapshot]

Wouldn't it create possible threat of air collisions with other passenger jets? In case of crash what happens if takes some property or lives down along with internet connectivity? I am not sure if every other country will allow a company to put drones in their airspace provided that they are already known for spying on people for GOVT.

 

[rubyjackass]

It doesn't crash. The thing has 4 engines and almost no weight compared to the engine power. If one or two or even three go out, you'll have a replacement one up there before the current one is brought down to land.
Plus, if 1% of these do go down, there will be some down time in internet services, no different than what happens during a bad rain, snow, ice storm, hurricane or an earthquake. These failures are inevitable to happen, so you can't discredit the entire process because there is 1-2% chance of failure......

Thanks for the detail. But $hit does happen right? It is a risk for human lives.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Facebook said its drones will use lasers to beam Internet connectivity to people on the ground 60,000 to 90,000 feet below. .

Oh the tin foil hat people are going to make a mint!

 

[Viper0011.]

Thanks for the detail. But $hit does happen right? It is a risk for human lives.

???? A small drone is a risk for "human lives"??? How about billions of cars on the streets? Millions of planes flying? People walking on the streets and an older home or building collapsing?????? Your cell phone giving people cancer due to too much use, your BJP / RSS, killing minorities....... If you want to calculate any "risk for human lives", there is plenty more than this small drone.

There are a LOT of other risks to human lives, not sure what was your point behind posting this as it has no sense to it.

 

[rubyjackass]

???? A small drone is a risk for "human lives"??? How about billions of cars on the streets? Millions of planes flying? People walking on the streets and an older home or building collapsing?????? Your cell phone giving people cancer due to too much use, your BJP / RSS, killing minorities....... If you want to calculate any "risk for human lives", there is plenty more than this small drone.

There are a LOT of other risks to human lives, not sure what was your point behind posting this as it has no sense to it.

Lol at your tirade. I don't know what ant entered your @$$ meanwhile. You sound like those rabid gun lovers.

I was saying a drone weighing as much as a car crashing into a home is a danger. It is some risk that should be calculated and mitigated. Look how many US drones had crashed compared to airliners. Real airplanes have real people who are in control. Besides manned planes are made to be more foolproof.

Speculating here, but from what I can tell, another would be launched, and the crashed drone recovered to see what went wrong.

I meant to say people might die. Sorry I could have been clearer.