Google buys solar-powered drone maker, Titan Aerospace

Google could be developing a new way to give remote areas of the world internet access

Titan Aerospace Photo: Handout
Published: April 16, 2014, 3:39 pm
Updated: 2 years ago

Earlier this week Google purchased Titan Aerospace, a company building high-altitude solar-powered drones designed to fly for multiple years.

Titan’s driverless glider-like drones are designed to give customers access to data services all over the world. It looks like Google is trying to find new ways to provide remote areas of the world with internet access. Remember the online service providers Internet balloon project called Project Loon? Purchasing Titan Aerospace seems to be an extension of that concept.

The drones also have the ability to beam around high-resolution images of the earth, mapping services and navigation related data.

“It’s still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring Internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation,” said Tim Drinan, a spokesman for Google  in a statement.

Back in December Amazon announced it has plans to eventually use octocopters to deliver packages over a 10-mile radius, although it’s unlikely this futuristic concept will become a reality any time soon. In the past Google’s special Google X lab has also invested in technology related to driverless cars and wearable technology like the nifty but ridiculous looking glasses, Google Glass.

The terms of the deal unfortunately weren’t disclosed but it’s safe to assume Google probably paid a ridiculous amount of money for Titan Aerospace.

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