Facebook Drone

Why FB Drone

The Technology behind Facebook Drone

Current status of Facebook Drone

Google Balloon

Why Google Balloon

The Technology behind Google Balloon

Current Status of Google Balloon

Comparison between Loon & Drone

Conclusion

Facebook Drone

Facebook announced a new step in its ambitious plan to bringaffordable, basic Internet access to "every person in the world."

Facebook's new Connectivity Lab will research and testexperimental technology including drones, satellites and lasers tospread the reach of the Internet to isolated locations that currentlydo not have Internet

Facebook is exploring potential of two types of crafts –

Satellites which could be used in remote rural locations

Drones which will be powered by solar panels on its wings & able to stay ataltitudes of more than 60,000 feet for months at a time, would fly oversuburban areas

The drones, code-named Aquila, have a wingspan about as wide as a Boeing 767,yet weigh about as much as a compact car

Drones have invisible infrared laser beams, which can carry large amounts ofinformation at high speeds across space using free-space optical communicationtechnology (FSO)

Facebook has successfully tested its internet-beaming drones in the UK

It has been indicated that it is still under development, the finishedaircraft will have a wingspan greater than a Boeing 737, but still weighless than a car

It will be capable of flying at an altitude of 60,000 ft (18,288 m) for monthsat a time

Balloon Powered Internet For Everyone

Many of us think of Internet as a globalcommunity

Two-thirds of the world’s populationdoes not yet have Internet access

Project Loon is a network of balloonstraveling on the edge of space, designedto connect people in rural & remote areas,help fill coverage gaps, & bring peopleback online after disasters

Project Loon balloons float in the stratosphere,twice as high as airplanes & the weather

Loon balloons go where they’re needed by risingor descending into a layer of wind blowing inthe desired direction of travel

By partnering with Telecommunicationscompanies to share cellular spectrum Google hasenabled people to connect to the balloonnetwork directly from their phones and otherLTE-enabled devices

The signal is then passed across the balloonnetwork and back down to the global Internet onEarth

Project Loon began with a pilot test in June 2013, whenthirty balloons were launched from New Zealand’sSouth Island & beamed Internet to a small group of pilottesters

Project Loon tested its newest LTE radio technology at arural Brazilian school, Linoca Gayoso, that had neverbefore had Internet access

The early models last only a few days; the goal forcommercial viability was to have them floating for threemonths

Google’s head of Chrome & Android Sundar Pichaistated balloons can stay up for around six months now

Google is now planning to launch above 1000 balloonsby automated crane systems that can launch dozens ofballoons a day & includes a mission control system thatcan track balloons & steer them

Google Balloon Facebook Drone

Project Loon air-balloons is equipped with solar panels

Solar panel powered drone with high tech drone aviation

Balloons will basically be floating on atmospheric winds, so it will not have controlled precision of winged aircraft.

The drone's location & movement can be controlled with precision.

Floating 60000ft (10km) above the ground 60-65k altitude range in the stratosphere

Loon balloons are being designed to stay aloft for 100 days in air

Drone can stay in air for a month, plans are to extend it to an year

Uses Radio signals to link balloons to volley ball sized antennas mounted on tops of homes & businesses

Uses Infrared Lasers for data connection speeds nearingthe speed of fiber optic cables.

Project Loon has a parachute for landing to safety in case of emergency equipment failure.

The Drone will glide down to safety in case of failure.

Balloons are placed evenly apart to cover a large areaHovering of drone over predefined area to beam down the internet.

Comparison between Loon & Drone

Fixed-wing drones are more reliable when it comes to flying longer distance due to their low consumption of battery power. A big balloon with hot air is much riskier to keep in the air as it moves slower

On the other hand, balloons are far safer & more conventional. One can think of the danger of one of these drones falling into a populated area, a drone could do a lot of damage if it fell out of the sky

Images are for presentation purpose only