Wi-Fi Blimps across Asia and Africa Developed by Google

Google is said to deploy airborne Wi-Fi in hard to reach areas like Africa and some regions in Asia. A patent file courtesy of Google dubbed these Wi-Fi blimps “high altitude platform control system”. The patent was filed in the year 2000. In the patent drawing, Wi-Fi networks are beamed down from these flying objects (more like a blimp) to areas where high speed wireless infrastructures are non-existent.

These Wi-Fi blimps are said to be made available for remote parts of the world like the sub-Saharan Africa and also Southeast Asia creating a more stable wireless network for them. Soon, sky bound balloons and blimps are no longer limited for show purposes in these areas of the world.

According to Wired, these high altitude platform control systems will be able to give reliable internet connection to over a billion more people. These blimps are quite powerful and can even reach people in areas that are hundreds of square miles. These “aerospace vehicles” can “improve the reliability of a communications system.”

Although news of such technology might stir awe and shock among the public, it is key to note that Google isn’t the only company considering such ventures. Lockheed Martin and GlobeTel Communications are also working on communication networks involving blimps and balloons. SkySite Platforms, balloon borne transreceivers by Space Data are also already on air and have been providing Wi-Fi connection much like a Wi-Fi tower.

According to Wall Street Journal, Google is also venturing into cellular business in Asia and Africa. This move is still in line with its aim to connect more people to the internet. Even places with spotty or non-existent signals would be able to make use of the said network upon its completion. Furthermore, Google is also considering other types of wireless frequencies including a satellite based wireless system among others.

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