Facebook drone accident spurs US safety investigation

[captain_to_fire]

Article from CNET: https://www.cnet.com/news/us-government-agency-investigates-accident-with-facebook-drone/

 

Quote

Facebook's quest to bring broadband internet to all corners of the globe had a bumpy landing in June when its Aquila drone ended its first test flight in Arizona, Bloomberg reported Monday,

After a 96-minute flight, the solar-powered aircraft with a wingspan of a Boeing 737 experienced a "structural failure" just before landing, an incident that's now under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

In statement, NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said that although there were no injuries or ground damage, the aircraft itself was "substantially damaged." The NTSB's full report is due in the next two months.

Despite the accident, a Facebook spokesperson called the flight successful. "We have already learned a lot from the results of this flight test and will continue to learn from all the future flight tests we plan to run," the spokesperson said.

Designed to stay aloft for 90 days at a time. the Aquila drone is part of a large-scale effort by Facebook to boost broadband coverage to remote areas without traditional infrastructure. But the company's efforts in that regard have been met by setbacks. In September, a satellite designed to bring internet access to parts of Africa courtesy of Facebook was destroyed when the SpaceX Falcon 9 that was supposed to carry it into space exploded at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

First published November 22 at 4:17 a.m. PT. 
Updated at 7:35 a.m. PT: Added comment from the NTSB. 
Updated at 8:45 a.m. PT: Added comment from Facebook.

 

 

Well, their motives are good. Providing internet access to areas without DSL, Fiber or even 3G. I really want this endeavor to succeed. Although I kinda prefer Elon Musk's plan.

[Utter_Mayhem]

well, We can all agree their intentions were good, but there are always gonna be that group of people who want to spark investigations on something not as big an issue *cough* Trump *cough* FBI *cough*

 

and yea i do think Musk's plan is better, but still "drone" is still a new technology and lots of debates boutta start up again.

[SansVarnic]

I vote on Elon Musk's plan over Facebook's and not because I have an avid distaste for Facebook and its <censored> owner.

[captain_to_fire]

2 hours ago, Jorgen297 said:

serves them right for censoring negative posts about the refugee crisis

 

2 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

I vote on Elon Musk's plan over Facebook's and not because I have an avid distaste for Facebook and its <censored> owner.

I certainly do not wish Facebook demise of this project of bringing Internet access to more people just because they've succumbed to censorship and political correctness. I just hope that the rest of clueless Republicans don't interfere on this. But I still think Musk's plan is better. 

[SansVarnic]

8 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I certainly do not wish Facebook demise of this project of bringing Internet access to more people just because they've succumbed to censorship and political correctness.

I think you miss understood my post; <censored> = my own censoring of a descriptive word for Mark Suckerburg. <- yes I miss-spelled it purposefully.

I fully wish upon Facebook's demise as a whole...

12 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

 I just hope that the rest of clueless Republicans don't interfere on this.

Why would Republicans interfere with this? that sounds stupid and quite frankly pointed at a group of people for no reason.

13 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

But I still think Musk's plan is better. 

Yes it is.  

[AshleyAshes]

2 hours ago, Utter_Mayhem said:

there are always gonna be that group of people who want to spark investigations on something not as big an issue

The NTSB's literal sole reason to exist is to investigate accidents and crashes in civil aviation.  Despite being a drone, it's a large prototypical civil aircraft which suffered a 'structural failure' and crashed upon landing.  When planes crash, they investigate, because planes crashing is bad.  The cause of the structural failure has to be investigated, determined and corrected if need be to ensure it doesn't happen while the thing loiters over an inhabited area.  If you want an aircraft design to continue to be certified to fly, then you have to figure out why it crashes.  This is the epitome of responsible government action to protect it's citizens from being randomly smashed in the skull by pieces of a falling solar powered drone.

[Utter_Mayhem]

1 minute ago, AshleyAshes said:

The NTSB's literal sole reason to exist is to investigate accidents and crashes in civil aviation.  Despite being a drone, it's a large prototypical civil aircraft which suffered a 'structural failure' and crashed upon landing.  When planes crash, they investigate, because planes crashing is bad.  The cause of the structural failure has to be investigated, determined and corrected if need be to ensure it doesn't happen while the thing loiters over an inhabited area.  If you want an aircraft design to continue to be certified to fly, then you have to figure out why it crashes.  This is the epitome of responsible government action to protect it's citizens from being randomly smashed in the skull by pieces of a falling solar powered drone.

no doubt that the NTSB had a reason to investigate, 

i was simply referring the the other aspect of "drones and regluations"