INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Mobile Technology
Facebook tests full size
Aquila to beam internet
across Africa
Facebook’s Connectivity Lab reached a
major milestone with the first full-scale
test flight of Aquila, an unmanned
solar-powered airplane that can be
used to bring affordable internet to
hundreds of millions of people in the
hardest-to-reach places.
When complete, Aquila will be able to
circle a region up to 60 miles in diameter,
beaming connectivity down from an
altitude of more than 60,000 feet using
laser communications and millimeter
wave systems. Aquila is designed to fly for
up to three months at a time.
The aircraft has the wingspan of an
airliner, but at cruising speed it will
consume only 5,000 watts, the same
amount as three hair dryers, or a highend microwave. Facebook has flown
a one fifth scale version of Aquila for
several months, but this was the first
flight of the full-scale aircraft.
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This test flight was designed to verify
the operational models and overall
aircraft design. To prove the full
capacity of the design, Facebook will
push Aquila to the limits in a lengthy
series of tests in the coming months
and years. As encouraging as the first
successful flight is, there is still plenty of
work to be done.
To reach the goal of being able to
fly over a remote region and deliver
connectivity for up to three months
at time, Facebook will need to break
the world record for solar-powered
unmanned flight, which currently
stands at two weeks. This will require
significant advancements in science
and engineering to achieve. It
will also require Facebook to work
closely with operators, governments,
and other partners to deploy these
aircraft in the regions where they will
be most effective.
Facebook is accelerating its efforts
to bring internet connectivity to the
four billion people around the world
who are not yet online, with the
goal of contributing to prosperity,
progress and development around
the globe.
Internet access can offer life-changing
opportunities, information, and
experiences, but 1.6 billion people
today live in remote locations with no
access to mobile broadband networks.
Facebook is building new technologies
like Aquila to help address this
challenge.
Facebook’s mission is to connect
the world and with their growing
team of aerospace, optical physics,
RF communications and other world
experts, and existing relationships with
the technology community, telcos,
governments, and communities that
use Facebook, the company is uniquely
positioned to do this work.
To date, Facebook’s connectivity
efforts, which include initiatives like
Free Basics, are estimated to have
brought more than 25 million people
online who wouldn’t be otherwise.
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