Google acquires Titan Aerospace

Mountain View, California – Google officials confirmed April 14, 2014 that the California tech company bought New Mexico-based Titan Aerospace for an undisclosed sum. Titan, founded in 2012, is developing a high altitude, long endurance solar UAV, the SOLARA atmospheric satellite, to carry telecom, reconnaissance, atmospheric sensors, and other payloads. Announced last summer, the SOLARA, with a 164ft (50m) wingspan and thousands of high-efficiency solar cells, is designed to stay aloft for months or years at an altitude of 65,000ft (20km).

 

A Google spokesperson offered AMD this statement: “Titan Aerospace and Google share a profound optimism about the potential for technology to improve the world. It’s still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring Internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation. It’s why we’re so excited to welcome Titan Aerospace to the Google family.”

 

Google is seeking to use the high-flying platform to provide Internet access to areas lacking ground-based wired infrastructure. Web rival Facebook, once believed by media sources to be interested in buying Titan, also is looking to drones to provide network connectivity. Facebook acquired UK-based Ascenta in March for $20 million, hoping to produce solar-powered drones to expand Internet service in developing countries.