Facebook internet drones to be "as big as jet planes" (video)

 September 25, 2014 - 17:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Facebook has revealed that its internet drones will be roughly the size of commercial aircraft, and are capable of remaining airborne for years at a time, Digital Spy said.

The unmanned crafts will eventually be deployed over countries where internet connectivity is lacking to help improve communication across the globe.

Yael Maguire, engineering director at the social network's Connectivity Lab, told Mashable that one of the drones they are testing is as long as "six or seven [Toyota] Priuses" and another is a similar size to a Boeing 747.

Despite the drones' hefty size, Maguire claims that the hardware will be lightweight, with the one he compared to multiple Priuses weighing as much as four car tyres.

Facebook will begin testing its drones in the US next year, with a view to deploying them over Latin America, Africa and Asia once the trials have concluded.

They are not the only tech company investing in drone technology, with Google working on a similar philanthropic venture involving balloons, and Amazon carrying out research into drone delivery. Yael Maguire, engineering director at the social network's Connectivity Lab, told Mashable that one of the drones they are testing is as long as "six or seven [Toyota] Priuses" and another is a similar size to a Boeing 747.

Despite the drones' hefty size, Maguire claims that the hardware will be lightweight, with the one he compared to multiple Priuses weighing as much as four car tyres.

Facebook will begin testing its drones in the US next year, with a view to deploying them over Latin America, Africa and Asia once the trials have concluded.

They are not the only tech company investing in drone technology, with Google working on a similar philanthropic venture involving balloons, and Amazon carrying out research into drone delivery.