Facebook Aquila takes to the skies to connect the rest of the world
Only half the world is connected, Facebook's connecting the other half.
Key takeaways
- The drones will beam the internet wirelessly to previously unconnected parts of the planet.
- Some have warned that if Facebook and a few other large companies deem which services are important to new web citizens, they are in effect creating a walled garden internet, going against the purpose of web access for all.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Facebook Aquila takes to the skies to connect the rest of the world', 311 Institute, 22 July. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/facebook-aquila-takes-to-the-skies-to-connect-the-rest-of-the-world/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Facebook has achieved the first successful test flight of the Aquila drone, marking another notable milestone in the firm's efforts to deliver internet access to 4 billion people worldwide who are still off the grid in regions too remote and too expensive to be served by fibre or WiFi.
Aquila is a battery-powered, auto-piloted behemoth with a wingspan of 43 metres, about the same as a Boeing 737, yet it weighs just 400kg and the prototype drone flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes over the deserts of Yuma, Arizona.
The plan is that the skies will eventually be dotted with multiple connected Aquilas, each flying at around 18,000m (60,000ft) and able to stay airborne for months at a time using solar power to charge the batteries. The drones will beam the internet wirelessly to previously unconnected parts of the planet.
Engineers from the company's Connectivity Lab listed the ongoing challenges to making the project a success, which include optimising the aerodynamics to fly at altitudes where the air is very thin, integrating solar power (the prototype's batteries are not charged in flight) and reducing the cost of production.
"Over the course of the next several months we'll continue to study the data we obtained from this initial flight," they said.
"As we conduct more test flights, we will add more aircraft to the test fleet, fly to higher altitudes, and explore the high-speed regime, where the airframe's flexibility becomes limiting, and the low-speed loiter regime, where the aircraft will eventually provide connectivity to the ground.
"We will add instrumentation to the aircraft to help us learn about the structural dynamics, stability and control derivatives, and the all-important aerodynamic efficiency. We'll also experiment with different aircraft form factors, sizes and weights as we learn more."
Aquila is part of Facebook's Internet.org initiative to expand the reach of the internet, although not all have taken to the plans.
Some have warned that if Facebook and a few other large companies deem which services are important to new web citizens, they are in effect creating a walled garden internet, going against the purpose of web access for all.
What this means for your organisation
Remote coverage is becoming airborne.
Facebook aims to reach 4 billion people in regions too remote and too expensive for fibre or WiFi. Its plan is a sky dotted with Aquila drones that beam the internet wirelessly. Our data puts drone access points, flying phone masts, in wide use by 2030, with an action rating of Prepare.
Power and cost are still unsolved.
The prototype's batteries are not charged in flight. The aim is solar power that keeps each drone airborne for months. Engineers also name thin-air aerodynamics and production cost as open problems, so solar rechargeable batteries are one to watch.
Who controls access is contested.
Critics warn that if Facebook and a few large firms decide which services matter, the result is a walled garden internet. Leaders who plan to rely on such links should check what they will and will not carry. Connected sensors in remote sites could one day depend on them.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our remote sites could use drone-based connectivity within five years?
- What would we do if one provider controlled which services we can reach?
- Who in our team tracks solar power and production cost for flying networks?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Only half the world is connected, Facebook's connecting the other half.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 22 July 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Facebook Aquila takes to the skies to connect the rest of the world. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/facebook-aquila-takes-to-the-skies-to-connect-the-rest-of-the-world/
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