Facebook seeks to provide Internet through beams carried by drones

The World’s biggest social networking platform, Facebook is reportedly working on a laser technique to deliver high speed internet through drones or satellite. The company has been trying to develop a technology which involves the use of drones and satellites to provide internet to people. It was reported that recently Facebook bought the startup that develops drones that can fly almost as high as satellites and stay afloat there for five years. The company, Titan Aerospace, is a New Mexico based startup and is working on a solar powered drone which Facebook thinks could be the perfect vehicle to carry their beams so that they can transmit the internet data seamlessly. Titan has two aircraft models with wingspans as big as those of a Boeing 787. These are Solaro 50 with a weight carrying capacity of up to 70 pounds and the Solaro 60 with a carrying capacity of up to 250 pounds.

Image: Mark Zuckerberg/ Facebook

With this purchase Facebook has made it clear that it is quite keen and interested in the project. This can also be a step forward in the company’s Internet for All campaign. Facebook has been actively involved in it and has taken considerable steps to ensure the availability of Internet to the people living in remote areas or where Internet connectivity is not available.

In the past it has also approached the Indian government for carrying out pilot project there. Facebook’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said, “Our Connectivity Lab is developing a laser communications system that can beam data from the sky into communities. This will dramatically increase the speed of sending data over long distances. “He also said that as part of their internet.org efforts, they’re working on ways to use drones and satellites to connect the billions of people who don’t live in the range of existing wireless networks. Facebook has started internet.org and partnered up with various telecom operators in developing countries like India so that people can access some websites without paying any internet charges.

Considering the amount of success Facebook has seen all over the world in terms of messaging and calling, this project can be a real game changer for the way people use Internet. It owns WhatsApp and is counted among the top players that provide messaging and calling services.Using the drones and satellites for this project is a good move since they will be able to travel to the remote areas where people don’t have internet connectivity easily.

Facebook refrained from announcing any further details about the project as it is still in its development phase and it will take some time before it finally becomes available for use.