Facebook’s Wi-Fi Drones Start Testing Next Year

By this phase , Facebook ’s plan to bring cyberspace to the whole worldwith a fleet of drone and lasers is pretty well documented : what ’s a little vague has been the details — until now .

Speaking at the Social Good Summit in New York , Yael Maguire , the engineering music director at Facebook Connectivity Lab , spilled a few item . The ‘ unmanned woodworking plane ’ ( Facebook seems to be maneuver clear of the term ‘ poke ’ , devote what US - made drone are normally associate with doing over strange soil ) will be about the size of it of a 747 , but far light , and solar - powered . In theory , that combination of Brobdingnagian wingspan ( and , presumably , quite a few solar panel on top ) will permit the ‘ plane ’ vanish more or less indefinitely , at high altitudes – 60,000 feet or more , in fiat to outride above the conditions , and other aircraft .

In terminus of timescale , Maguire want a prototype aircraft flying sometime in 2015 , with literal internet - shine - goodness come after in 3 - 5 twelvemonth ’ time . As for who will really deploy these things ? That ’s still to be determined , in typical Silicon Valley root : build the technology , and the market will create itself . [ Mashable ]