Facebook has announced a new initiative that would use unmanned drones to bring wireless Internet access to developing countries.
Yael Maguire, engineering director of Facebook’s Connectivity Lab, discussed the new technology at the 2014 Social Good Summit, comparing the drones to a Boeing 747 in terms of size, though they will be “much much lighter.”
The drones will be used to beam Wi-Fi signals to rural parts of the developing world that currently have no Internet access. Maguire specifically referenced India as well as Latin America and Africa as potential destinations for the technology. Facebook plans on fueling the aircraft with solar energy, allowing them to patrol areas for months, potentially years at a time.
As ambitious as Facebook’s drone initiative sounds, the program is not without its obstacles. Facebook plans on deploying its aircraft at an altitude in excess of 60,000 feet — however the company acknowledges there are “no rules” regarding flight at that altitude. It is also unclear how Facebook will address airspace and wireless transmission regulations in each of the countries it plans to serve.
Further complicating matters is the fact that Facebook hopes to use one pilot to manage as many as 100 drones, as FAA regulations on drone technology require one pilot to be in charge of each plane.
Despite the legal hurdles, Facebook plans to launch at least one unit in 2015 with testing to be conducted in the United States. These early models won’t actually provide Internet though — that feature is still three to five years away, said Maguire.
