Google hopes to use one day for webcasting drones from the sky, and they are asking the federal government for permission to test their transmission equipment in New Mexico. The company filed an application with the FCC (which controls electronic transmissions), revealing limited about their plans to use its new technology details. Some of this equipment was acquired as part of its purchase of Titan Aerospace earlier this year. Test location given by Google is directly south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque, and Southeast Las Vegas (see map below).
In implementing Google writes:
Google recently acquired Titan Aerospace, a firm that specializes in the development of solar and electric air unmanned systems (UAS "") for high altitude, long endurance flights. These systems can eventually be used to provide Internet connections in remote areas or help control environmental damage such as oil spills or deforestation. The STA is necessary for demonstration and testing of [redacted] in a carefully controlled environment.
As I wrote in April, Google purchase of Titan is mostly about internet delivery. Drones Aerospace Titan can remain airborne for long periods of time and can fly well above the altitude where commercial airliners fly and below where satellites orbit, beaming a signal of internet almost from space. It seems Google hopes to make plans for their newly acquired unmanned aircraft a reality, and is rapidly moving forward with the test.
In their application, they wrote: "These systems can eventually be used to provide Internet connections in remote areas or help control environmental damages, such as oil spills and deforestation The STA [Authority Special Temporary] is necessary for the demonstration. and test [prepared] in a carefully controlled environment. "
Google is hoping to test drones Internet broadcasting, radios or associated with these drones at a test site in New Mexico.
Google, like Facebook are interested in becoming a provider of innovative Internet. His "Loon Project" provides a network of balloons to provide worldwide Internet. Loon project began with a pilot test in June 2013, when thirty balloons launched from the South Island of New Zealand and Internet beams to a small group of pilot testers. The pilot has since expanded to include more people in a wider area. Google clearly wants to offer internet, regardless of the earthly limitations.
Google is not only experimenting with drones Internet broadcasting, the company is also working on drones delivery. Although regulatory barriers established by the FAA have forced Google to test their unmanned planes abroad.
Gregory S. McNeal is a specialist in law and public policy professor. You can follow him on Twitter or FacebookGregoryMcNeal.