Facebook is going to cover the Africa network "weather satellites" Bashny.Net

По information sources publication TechCrunch, Facebook corporation intends to buy the company Titan Aerospace for $ 60 million. Titan Aerospace is developing so-called "atmospheric satellites" - unmanned aircraft with solar panels , able to continuously stay aloft for up to five years. They can be used for aerial photography, reconnaissance, surveillance and wireless communications. Facebook recently interested in the use of drones. The largest social network is the founder of the initiative internet.org , whose purpose - to make the Internet available to the world. Now more than two-thirds of the world's population does not have access to the network. Most of these people live in third world countries, especially in Africa.

Facebook plans to start with the construction of 11,000 drones class Solara 60 that will fly over Africa. Each of these "satellite" is able to carry up to 100 kg payload. He will be flying at an altitude of 20 km, where almost no clouds and strong winds. One such UAV is capable of providing communication area of ​​several hundred square kilometers.



Interestingly, the positioning of the electric unmanned aircraft as "atmospheric satellites" - not just a publicity stunt. The fact that the laws of the United States airspace to be controlled Federal Aviation Administration, ends at an altitude of 60,000 feet. "Satellites» Titan Aerospace fly a little higher and it saves them from many legal complexities. In many other countries, particularly developing airspace regulated not as much as in the US, and problems should be even smaller.

Last year, a similar initiative was made by another corporation - Google. Their project Loom as a platform for communication equipment to be used not airplanes and balloons, just flying at an altitude of about 20 km.



Source: habrahabr.ru/post/214657/