Facebook intends to contribute to the connection of the world to the Internet. Last year, the social network has created a research unit Connectivity Lab, whose specialists are engaged in the problem of expanding the boundaries of the existing network infrastructure. The project team regularly reports about its success and a message on the completion of a gigantic drone Aquila did not remain without our attention.
The Facebook going to use drones to distribute the Internet in remote regions. By wingspan drones are not inferior to the Boeing 737 airliner, and thanks to light-weight body with a frame made of carbon fiber they weigh hundreds of times smaller than a passenger aircraft. With balloons drones lift to a height of 18-27 km, where they will plan over the desired area of the surface up to 90 days.
Aquila operate solar-powered and equipped with a special laser system for exchanging data with other drones and ground stations. During testing engineers were able to transfer information at a speed of several tens of gigabytes per second. According to the Connectivity Lab, signal receiver the size of a coin and was at a distance of 16 km.
Facebook has launched into the sky reduced copy Aquila. When a company is about to begin testing the final version of the UAV is not reported.
