facebook’s internet-broadcasting flying 'aquila' takes its first flight

facebook’s internet-broadcasting flying ‘aquila’ takes its first flight

facebook’s drone technology, called ‘aquila’, has been built to beam internet from the sky back to ground. it recently made its first full-scale test flight, the company recently announced.

‘aquila’s’ aim is to fly for up to three months at a time, orbiting over remote destinations and provide internet connectivity for a diameter up to 60 miles using a laser-based network and radio signals. when in flight the unmanned aircraft can cruise comfortably at 25 miles per hour.

on june 28, the drone took flight for as long as 90 minutes at low altitudes across the skies of yuma, arizona.

in reflection, it was found that the design was much more efficient than facebook connectivity labs had first anticipated. according to mark zuckerberg a second test flight is imminent and will include the mass of the communicative equipment. eventually, facebook plans to let ‘aquila’ soar at altitudes above 60,000 feet plus, perhaps the greatest challenge, fly it for up to three months at time — far longer than the current record for solar-powered unmanned flight, which stands at two weeks.

during the test flight, cruising at an altitude of 2150 feet, ‘aquila’ only consumed 2000 w of power, the company says. at 60 000 feet, it used 5000 w of power — about as much as three electric hair dryers.