Google is planning to officially launch its solar-powered drone program named Project Titan with the maiden convoy about to hit the sky anytime this year.
The company is developing three major programs that will help to connect nearly 4 billion people each other without the need of Internet access.
The program design was explained by Sundar Pichai, senior VP of Google who manages Android, Chrome and Google apps during the Mobile World Congress held today.
According to Pichai, the Project Titan will fly lightweight solar-powered airplanes which will serve as remote satellites.
The company has acquired Titan in 2014 and will permit the drones to float above certain areas and supply connectivity to locations below.
Even areas that have been lost connectivity due to any kind of natural disaster can also be attended using drones.
Google is developing the Project Titan in the same manner it has developed Project Loon earlier.
The Project Loon involved sending balloons into the sky to serve as floating cell towers.
The Project Loon covers expanded regions from above whereas Project Titan focuses more on specific, narrower areas.
In addition, the Project Loon has been successfully tested in Australia and South America and is heavily working with partners to get it off the ground, said Pichai.
The company expects great jump in next five years in the development and materialization of these two projects.
Google’s third program called Project Blank was started a year ago, focusing on the internet connectivity of rural and urban areas across the world.
“We built a fiber network and worked with local providers to provide 4G services,” Pichai said. “We are going to roll out Project Plank to Africa this year.”
The initiative from major market players like Facebook to access more people in remote regions through the web is an important and substantial step, said Pichai.
Sabeena Wahid
editor@greentechlead.com