Facebook and Google struggle to connect the ends of the Earth

A stranger to internet is almost impossible. Access is one of the major concerns of large conglomerates. But two thirds of the world population still lives off. A huge gap could begin to overcome this fall, when the stratosphere starts in the race among the giants Facebook and Google to connect the entire planet.

The project to create a network of drones of the social network of 1.550 million users is the most advanced. With manufacturing Aquila, a giant drone capable of flying up to 27 meters high, Facebook aims to bring internet to the most remote and underdeveloped areas.

Designed in the UK, the first model drone of Facebook is essentially a wing made of carbon fiber that resembles a boomerang with a lower level than utilitarian (450 kg) weight. It is powered by solar energy and has a range of 90 days. In theory, a network of these devices deployed in various areas would be able to pass-through communications láseres- to ground equipment.

"Since we launched internet.org our mission has been to find ways to facilitate connectivity to more than 4,000 million people who are not yet online," explained in a statement Patrik Jay, head of engineering and infrastructure of Facebook. This project represents "an important step" in the design of a laser communications system that can carry tens of gigabytes per second, ten times higher than today, "emphasizes Yael Maguire, team member hired engineers to Connectivity Lab, department in which new forms of internet access are investigated.

The American company plans to begin flight tests during the second half of this year, probably in the United States. To make the operation viable, the drone was launched from a balloon. Once the correct altitude, the device will stabilize to cover an area of ​​50 kilometers in diameter.

With these drones, Facebook plans to expand the global reach of the Internet 10% of the world's population has no access. In less populated areas, they are raised using satellites whose coverage is broader than the drones, but the cost much higher.

Balloons with wifi

But Facebook is not the only one who thinks in a hyper planet. Google, with Loon- studies the use of balloons to create a system of wireless connections. If realize their initiatives, the two giants expand their revenue considerably. That provide Internet access to two-thirds of the world's population living outside the target -a very ambitious-edge open a window to millions of data of millions of people.