Google says its Titan drones will make their first flight in a few months

[Victorious Secret]

 

Seems like every tech company is laying claim to some part of the planet in their ever increasing bid to find new footholds and stay relevant in the industry. Google wants to use drones to deliver internet, something I think I can get behind. 

 

The applications are numerous. Emergency bandwidth during special events that require it (World Cup, Superbowl, Olympics) and providing access during disaster relief after earthquakes, tsunamis and major forest fires. A platform that can loiter and provide essentially on demand internet access where someone needs it, thats a cool thing indeed. 

 

At Mobile World Congress this morning, Google's Sundar Pichai said that Titan, the drone company Google acquired in April of 2014, would be conducting its first test flight later this year. Google bought the company after it was widely reported Facebook had made an offer. Both were interested in the drone's ability to stay aloft for long periods of time with little energy and to carry a payload capable of providing internet connectivity to people down below.

 

Pichai says Titan is about where Project Loon, Google high altitude balloons, was a couple of years ago. The Titan team is building a new type of super lightweight solar-powered airplane that would be capable of hovering in one area of the stratosphere. This could provide a way to beam internet down to a targeted area on the ground below, supplement existing services with extra bandwidth, or providing access in an area that’s suddenly offline, like after an earthquake or other disaster.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/2/8131145/googles-titan-drone-flight-internet-access

[Guest]

 

Gimme one Titan Drone

[dadasmithywinkle]

When I read "Titan", I instantly thought of Titan Nuclear Missles I was like, "Holy Shit! Google has nukes!"

[Toddwjp]

drones, fly in the sky,

 

the internet is abbreviated as the net,

 

google is skynet confirmed.

[Misanthrope]

This can actually outdo some of the satellite internet ISPs. For once pings will be better and since it's significantly lower to the ground than even a low orbit satellite it will be less succeptible to weather issues. Plus google might not be assholes about bandwidth caps.

 

This is good, I can find another job if Hughes goes bankrupt, good for Google.

[ShadowCaptain]

When I read "Titan", I instantly thought of Titan Nuclear Missles I was like, "Holy Shit! Google has nukes!"

 

please dont give them ideas

[Victorious Secret]

please dont give them ideas

 

 

Does it work at night?

 

I would imagine that the solar cells would store enough of a charge to allow night time operation.