Skip to main content

Google’s Project Loon brings Internet access to remote areas with giant balloons

project-loon
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Detailed on the Official Google Blog this week, the search company announced an ambitious plan to bring Internet access to a large portion of the world’s population that either can’t afford Web access or is located in a completely remote area without an ISP. Called Project Loon, Google is looking to the sky for the answer rather than a wired network on the ground. Launching a collection of giant balloons with network hardware attached, these balloons float approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in the air being pushed by winds moving within the stratosphere.

Recommended Videos

After the Project Loon balloons are launched in the air, the network devices attached to the balloons communicate with a specialized Internet antenna that’s attached to someone’s home. Each balloon is also communicating with the other balloons in the air and this network is relaying an Internet connection from a local ISP in the area. The network devices on the Project Loon balloons have been designed to filter out all other signals in the area and specifically focus on delivering Internet connectivity to users on the ground.

Regarding the safety of launching and operating a network of balloons all over the Earth, the team communicates with air traffic control in the area to let them know when a new batch of balloons is being launched. In addition, air traffic control is notified when the Project Loon balloons are on the way down and the team can accurately predict where a balloon will end up landing. The balloons are floating approximately twice as high as the path of a typical commercial flight, so there’s no chance a plane will run into a balloon. In fact, you will need a telescope to spot one of these Project Loon devices in the air. 

Regarding speed, Google is aiming for download and upload speeds that are compatible to a typical 3G cellular network. While someone on the ground won’t be playing games on Xbox Live or video chatting on Skype, they will be able to check email, surf the Web and experience a world of connectivity that simply wasn’t available to them. For instance, people living in rural, remote areas would be able to communicate during natural disasters and gain immediate access to weather data and other current events.

According to an interview in Wired, the polyethylene balloon material is only three-thousands of an inch thick, but can handle the pressure at high altitudes. Weighing in at about 22 pounds, the balloons are carrying computers, GPS hardware and other electronics. There are also solar panels mounted on the platform, specifically designed to keep large batteries charged up all the time to power everything. In addition, the team has included a transponder to help air traffic control keep track of a balloon’s position.

For the time being, the team handling Project Loon is limiting the pilot test of the service to fifty residents of New Zealand. Assuming the project is successful, the team wants to find other countries around the world to partner with in order to launch more balloons and increase the reach of the network.  

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
These two macOS 26 features would transform the way I use my Mac
Writing tools in Apple Notes.

Apple’s execution with note-taking on macOS leaves a lot of room for improvement. There are so many areas where it feels like an abandoned project, instead of the future-proof experience that native iOS apps often deliver. In fact, the disparity across its own platforms is troubling. 

Take, for example, iPadOS and iOS. You can quickly launch a notes page straight from the control, without having to close the existing app and launch the Notes app. On macOS, you don’t get any such facility. 

Read more
Looking for a 2-in-1 laptop? The Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 is $250 off
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 front view showing tend mode.

Samsung is a brand that's better known for its smartphones and TVs, but it also has fantastic laptop deals, like this one for the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360. You can currently get this 2-in-1 laptop with a $250 discount, which slashes its price from $1,700 to $1,450. We're not sure how much time is remaining on this offer though, so if you're interested in buying this premium device but you want to get it for a lower price than usual, you're going to have to proceed with your purchase immediately.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 2-in-1 laptop

Read more
Upgrade to this Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor while it’s $300 off
Cyberpunk 2077 being played on the Alienware 32 QD-OLED.

The powerful machine you purchased from gaming PC deals should be paired with a premium display, and the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor comes with our stamp of approval. It's also on sale from Dell right now, with a $300 discount slashing its price from $1,200 to only $900. That's a steal when you consider the capabilities of this screen, so you're going to have to hurry with your purchase as stocks may run out at any moment.

Why you should buy the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor

Read more