Facebook is in talks to buy Titan Aerospace, a maker of solar-powered drones, to step up its efforts to provide Internet access to remote parts of the world, according to reports from technology blog TechCrunch and financial news outlet CNBC.
Facebook spokesman Tucker Bounds said Tuesday the company does not comment on rumors and speculation. Titan Aerospace representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
If Facebook does buy Titan Aerospace, the purchase could fit with the goals of Internet.org, CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s project. The Facebook-led partnership, which includes Qualcomm, Samsung and Nokia, was launched last summer with the goal of connecting the more than 5 billion of the world’s 7 billion people who are not already online. Presumably, Internet.org could use Titan’s solar-powered atmospheric satellites to serve as airborne wireless-access points.
Google, which is not a part of the Internet.org effort, launched a similar undertaking earlier this year with the goal of getting everyone on Earth online. Called Project Loon, the effort launched Internet-beaming antennas aloft on giant helium balloons.
Titan’s drone-like atmospheric satellites, which are still in development and not yet commercially available, can stay in the air for as long as five years, according to reports. Titan’s Web site cites a wide range of uses for the drones, including atmospheric and weather monitoring, disaster response and voice and data communications. The last two could be reasons for Facebook’s interest in Titan.