Report: Facebook Looking to Launch Its Own Drones

 By 
Todd Wasserman
 on 
Report: Facebook Looking to Launch Its Own Drones
One of Titan Aerospace's Solara 50 drones. A report in TechCrunch says Facebook is considering buying the company and using its Solara 60 models to provide Internet access to parts of the developing world. Credit: Titan Aerospace

Amazon isn't the only tech giant interested in drones.

A report in TechCrunch says Facebook is eyeing a purchase of Titan Aerospace, maker of solar-powered, near-orbital aircraft that drives itself.

The social networking giant would use the drones to possibly deliver Internet to parts of the world that currently don't have access, according to the report, which pegs the purchase at $60 million. Reps from Titan and Facebook could not be reached for comment. The goal is in keeping with Internet.org, an initiative that hopes to bring Internet access to the two-thirds of the world that are now without it.

The report claims that Facebook is "in talks" with Titan. If the deal is completed, Titan would begin building 11,000 unmanned drones to deliver Internet access to Africa first. The drones are powered by a battery pack and draw new energy from the sun.

Facebook has made no secret of targeting "the next billion" as Carolyn Everson, vice president of global marketing solutions, deems customers in developing countries. Last July, the company announced that 100 million people -- many in the developing world -- use its Facebook for Every Phone app, which is aimed at feature phones.

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