Company Makes HALE UAVs That Could Serve As Internet Relays

It seems the Google isn't the only company that has a plan to bring Internet access to remote corners of the world. Sources say that Facebook is looking at the potential purchase of Titan Aerospace, which makes solar-powered high-altitude UAVs that can stay aloft for up to five years without refueling. The goal is to use the aircraft to provide Internet access to areas where there currently is little or no such connectivity.

According to a report appearing on TechCrunch.com, the asking price for the company that builds the Solara 60 UAV is $60 million. The company calls the aircraft "atmospheric satellites" because of their ability to fly at very high altitudes for long periods of time. How high? Well, Class A airspace ... and FAA control ... ends at 60,000 feet, and that's below where the Solara 60 aircraft like to fly.

The project that the UAVs might make possible is called Internet.org, which would compete with Google's Project Loon ... which has basically the same goal but uses a constellation of balloons rather than aircraft.

The potential deal has already drawn the attention of some in the unmanned aerial vehicle industry. "The prospect of Facebook purchasing Titan Aerospace with the goal of providing internet service to isolated populations is an interesting one," said Michael Blades, Aerospace and Defense Senior Industry Analyst with Mountainview, CA-based Frost & Sullivan. "Titan has not proven the atmospheric satellite concept can function as advertised. However, if Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook are interested in the acquiring the company solely to place Titan unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in the atmosphere to provide web-related content to remote areas, it's obvious they believe in the technology.

"This could have a profound effect on both the UAS and satellite industries. If Facebook is able to provide substantial amounts of bandwidth via high altitude UASs, then it follows that other companies will use the same methods for other forms of digital communications: cell phones, television programming, etc. Why? Because launching communications satellites into geosynchronous earth orbit is very expensive. How expensive? Up to $1 billion per satellite (half for the satellite itself, half for launch costs). If the atmospheric UAS concept can be realized, the market for these platforms will grow rapidly while the commercial communications satellite market will be significantly impacted.

"As for regulatory issues, there is an easy solution. The altitudes where these UASs will fly are unpopulated; airliners fly much lower. It would be relatively easy for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set aside a launch corridor for atmospheric UASs where other aircraft are not allowed to fly unless given specific clearance. This would be similar to the military operations area or FAA restricted area concepts. The bottom line - a Facebook/Titan Aerospace partnership could be the beginning of a new paradigm in how information is transmitted around the globe."

(Titan Solara 60 UAV pictured in file photo)

FMI: http://titanaerospace.com/