Facebook takes a step forward with its Net-connectivity plane
Facebook is one step closer to bringing Internet connectivity to remote, underserved areas of the world.
The company’s Connectivity Lab completed the first full test of Aquila, a high-altitude, solar-powered, unmanned aircraft that would beam Internet connectivity down to Earth using laser technology. The aircraft would circle an area up to 60 miles in diameter while flying at 60,000 feet.
Flying for as long as three months, the energy-efficient aircraft is built to use only 5,000 watts — the same amount as three hair dryers, or a high-end microwave – when at cruising speed.
“We’ve been flying a one-fifth scale version of Aquila for several months, but this was the first time we’ve flown the full-scale aircraft,” wrote Jay Parikh, Global Head of Engineering and Infrastructure at Facebook, in a blog post. “To prove out the full capacity of the design, we will push Aquila to the limits in a lengthy series of tests in the coming months and years.”
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