With yesterday's press release, Google has officially announced the acquisition of Titan Aerospace, a company that plans drone or unmanned aircraft that will, among other things, help the US giant to provide access to the Internet in remote areas.
Currently under development, Titan Aerospace's drones will be powered by electric ρεύμα που θα παράγουν από τον ήλιο τα χιλιάδες φωτοβολταϊκά πάνελ στην άτρακτό τους. Τα αεροσκάφη σχεδιάζονται με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να πετούν σε υψόμετρο 20 χλμ., πάνω δηλαδή από τα σύννεφα, ενώ ένα μέρος της ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας που θα παράγεται την ημέρα θα αποθηκεύεται σε μπαταρίες, για να κρατά τον κινητήρα τους σε λειτουργία και τις νυχτερινές ώρες.
Thus, according to Titan Aerospace officials, the drones will be able to stay in the air for up to five years, at a speed of up to 100 km/h. The aim is all this time to circle over a certain area, taking on functions that until now could only be carried out by (more expensive) space satellitesterms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fRt5X9jlOg
Even before the acquisition by Google, Titan Aerospace mentioned on its site that such a function is telecommunication connections, since drones will be able to carry telecommunication latest technology equipment up to 100 kg. This possibility, and in particular the provision of access to the Internet, had caused the rumors of Titan Aerospace's talks with Facebook to "flare up" recently, which through the Internet.org project wants to connect the rest of the world to the Internet 2/ 3 of the planet's population.
Google will use the drones together with the balloons it is developing in the framework of "Project Loon", thus creating a flying fleet that will be able to replace the Internet infrastructures where they do not exist. In her announcement, however, she also refers to others applications των μη επανδρωμένων αεροσκαφών, όπως περιβαλλοντικές μελέτες ή την monitoring natural disasters.
