Filing Is Not Specific Concerning Internet Giant's Plans

Google has registered two "fixed-wing multi-engine" UAVs with the FAA, but how they intend to use the aircraft is still unclear.

Engadget reports that the aircraft seem to be of a different design than Google's "Project Wing" aircraft that was tested ... mostly unsuccessfully ... as a delivery system in Australia. The two new designs, codenamed M2 and B3, were registered with the FAA this month.

According to the registration information posted on the FAA website, the aircraft have been registered near Google's Boulder, CO office rather than the main campus in Mountain View, CA. Both designs are fixed-wing aircraft powered by two electric motors weighing less than 55 pounds. They are registered as "amateur" aircraft, and assigned N108GT and N102GT.

The website Recode cites "sources familiar with the company" that said Google's new aircraft are associated with Project Titan, under which the company hopes to use high-altitude UAVs to offer wireless Internet connectivity to underserved areas.

Google acquired Titan Aerospace last year with the intention of exploring the use of UAVs as Internet connectivity relays. It has also explored the use of balloons for that purpose, an effort called Project Loon.

Registering the UAVs with the FAA could mean that Google plans to openly, and legally, conduct test flights of their UAVs in the U.S., according to Engadget.

FMI: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=GOOGLE+INC&Modeltxt=&PageNo=1