Newsletter 
Search Giant Google has acquired a new company that will allow them to fly unmanned drones that will emit wifi. Google has asked the FCC for permission to conduct these test in hopes to deliver Internet to remote locations that do not have access. Google wrote Friday to the FCC stating, “Google recently acquired Titan Aerospace, a firm that specializes in developing solar and electric unmanned aerial systems (‘UAS’) for high altitude, long endurance flights.” In addition Google asked the FCC to keep most of the testing information confidential. The search giant later added “These systems may eventually be used to provide Internet connections in remote areas or help monitor environmental damage, such as oil spills or deforestation. The STA [Special Temporary Authority] is needed for demonstration and testing of [REDACTED] in a carefully controlled environment.”
Google bought Titan Aerospace back in April. The company plans on merging the company and its technology with Project Loon, which is Google’s initiative to deliver internet access via balloons to places that have limited to no internet connectivity. Google also plans on sending up low-orbit satellites that can provide internet access which sounds really cool because people anywhere can catch an internet signal. Going back to the drones that Google bought, they can fly up in the air and stay aloft for 5 years! That’s pretty amazing for a drone delivering an internet connection. Frequencies that Google will use to transmit will be from 910MHz to 927MHz. They will also use frequencies of 2.4GHz to 2.414 GHz. What Google will be transmitting is unknown because they were redacted from the public document due to legal purposes. What we do know is that Google told the FCC that they will avoid interfering with any known spectrums. To give you an idea of these spectrums, the 2.4GHz spectrum overlaps the the lower channels of wifi. The 900MHz spectrum has more uses such as wireless Internet service providers, smart meters, toll readers, baby monitors, and other devices.
In the public document by Google, the company wrote, “Google understands that there may be some federal operations in the 900 MHz band in the vicinity of the test site.” They later add that “Google is prepared to coordinate with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to avoid harmful interference to any federal operations.” So what do you think about Google’s initiative to deliver internet connectivity to remote locations in the world? The ideas talked about by Google and which is included in their public FCC document are quite fascinating. Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.