Imagine connecting with anyone on Earth.
<br>Drones have come a long way — from controversial weapon to totally radical video camera. Now, they might change the way the world connects.
As of today, more than 4 billion people worldwide still don’t have reliable access to the internet. That’s, umm, a lot of people. And when you consider how essential internet is to our daily lives, it’s almost impossible to imagine living in a world without it.
Luckily, Facebook has a plan. And it’s pretty spectacular.
This is Aquila, a revolutionary drone that has the potential to deliver wireless internet to Earth’s most remote regions.
Hi! You must be the boomerang's futuristic cousin. Photo from Facebook.
It’s a project of Internet.org, a Facebook initiative that aims to bring the benefits of internet access to everyone around the world. (Yes, everyone.)
Through their in-house research and development group, dubbed the Connectivity Lab, some of the brightest minds in engineering and aerospace — which includes experts from NASA — are working nonstop to make this once far-out dream a reality.
But seriously though. It looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie.
My goodness, look at that thing! GIF via Facebook.
It's tailless, completely unmanned, has the wingspan of a Boeing 737, and is made out of a lightweight carbon fiber that makes it about as heavy as a small car. (WUT?!) This allows it to naturally glide across the sky and stay airborne at about 60,000 feet for as long as possible.
Get this — it runs on solar power and can stay in the air for up to three months.
I'm as shocked as you are, Kristen Wiig. GIF from "Saturday Night Live."
YES WAY! There are solar panels all over the wings, powering its highly efficient propellers all throughout flight. And just to put three months into perspective, the longest known flight for a similar craft is a mere 14 days.
Also, it will connect people to the internet using LASERS.
PEW PEW PEW! GIF via Facebook.
That's right! LASERS! Since 2013, the engineers at Facebook have been researching ways to transmit high chunks of data through these bad boys and the prototype is said to deliver it 10 times faster than anything else out there. The tricky part is getting it accurate as it's meant to hit a target the size of a dime from over 10 miles away.
This is how it works: a ground station sends a radio internet signal to a drone, which then transmits the signal to neighboring drones though lasers. From there, each drone returns the signal back to Earth to give people internet. BAM!
Helping people has never looked this cool. GIF via Facebook.
Can you imagine all the good this will do for the human race?
This kind of technology has the potential to drastically change the future of our planet in so many ways: education, information, connection — the whole shebang!
Think about a child who has to spend hours walking to and from school every day. Imagine if he or she could use that time learning instead.
Think about farmers in developing countries and how something as simple as an accurate weather report could alter their livelihood forever.
Lastly, think about the most important thing we are giving these people — a voice. The opportunity to speak their minds and actually be heard. Not only will we learn more about them, we'll learn more about who we are as a people.
And that's something that's truly totally radical.
Check out this video to learn more:
<br>Thumbnail image via Facebook.
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