Google buys Titan Aerospace, a manufacturer of drones

In March were received reports that Facebook was in talks to acquire Titan Aerospace , the manufacturer of solar-powered drone can stay aloft at high altitudes for five years. Now, the company has been bought, but not by Facebook, but by Google.

Technology companies are expanding, and are about to take flight - literally - thanks to solar-powered drones that will provide broadband access around the world to bring the Internet in developing countries and where still missing.

Facebook has recently purchased Ascenta, a startup based in the UK, which builds solar-powered vehicles unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - or simply called drones - for $ 20 million. In recent weeks, it was said that Facebook was also interested in startups Titan Aerospace, always specialized in the production of drones that run on solar energy, but Google has been to detect the startup, for an undisclosed sum at the time.

The confirmation comes directly from the company, which in post on his blog writes that "We are excited to announce that Titan Aerospace joins Google."

Titan Aerospace, based in New Mexico and led by former Symantec CEO Vern Raburn, will work closely with Google and precisely with the team of Loon Project , with which Google wants to provide Internet access in areas where there is still no means balloons.

 Aerospace Titan, similar to the competitor Ascenta now owned by Facebook, is developing two drones - the smaller of the two with a wingspan of a little bigger than a Boeing 767 - equipped with solar panels that power the batteries wing to keep them in flight. The aircraft, capable of flying up to 12 miles in the sky, they have a life cycle in the long term of approximately five years.

The primary function of the drones will be to bring Internet access to places where you do not have a broadband connection, with speeds up to 1 gigabit per second, equivalent then to the speed of fiber present in many developed countries.

Drones of Titan Aerospace will also be able to help Google for mapping of places for Google Maps. To do this, the drones will be able to take high-resolution photos of the Earth.

"It 's still early days for the technology that we are developing," especially for "atmospheric satellites," said Titan on its website. "There are a lot of ways in which we think that we could help people, whether it be to provide Internet connections in remote areas or help monitor environmental damage, such as oil spills and deforestation."

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