Facebook's Drone & Google's Balloon: Literally Taking the Internet to New Heights

Facebook and Google have elevated the world's Internet experience. And now both are trying to bring that experience even higher - about 17 miles (27km) into the stratosphere.

Facebook has already publicized its prototype, the Aquila 1, an Internet connection-beaming drone wider than a Boeing 737. The lightwieght, 142ft (43m)-wide aircraft is made of foam and coated with carbon for rigidity.

"It has not flown yet, that's the next milestone," chief engineer Jay Parikh told the BBC.

The drone is fitted with four rotors, and is expected to remain airborne for months at a time.

"The structure and stiffness of the plane is all in the carbon fiber of the wing and that supports everything, the [internet-providing] payload, the batteries, and the solar panels on top." Parikh added.

Facebook's target is to create a fleet of drones that would form a network, passing around Internet signal through laser beams from a source and then emitting radio frequencies to the ground providing Internet to subscribers within its range.

Meanwhile, Google has turned to a more basic approach - balloons.

Having already sent up a thousand balloons since 2013, Project Loon's helium-filled balloons have travelled 20 million kilometers in total.

"One of our balloons went around the world 19 times," said Google's Mike Cassidy.

The balloons float up to a height of 12 miles (20 km), while software controls navigation. Just like the Aquila, the balloons give out radio frequency signals.

The struggle is keeping the fragile balloons aloft. A tiny hole would send Google's equipment down within hours. But means were developed to keep them regularly afloat for up to 150 days.

Unlike the drones, the balloons do not use lasers but rely purely on radio signals. "Radio technology is generally a more developed technology than freespace optical communication," Cassidy said.

The difference with Facebook? Project Loon is up and running. Balloons are already making their rounds in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Facebook and Google have much to gain by focusing on the 57 percent of the world's population that do not have Internet access.

The two are actually joining forces in certain aspects of the venture, the MIT Technology Review reported.

Although both are mum on the subject of collaboration, it was found out that Facebook and Google are both pushing for change in international policies with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to operate airborne private equipment.

"You shouldn't presume that we're not already working together," said Facebook's Yael Maguire after being asked why Facebook and Google did not collaborate from the get-go. "We are collaborating on certain things," he added.

There are more issues to address on both projects. Facebook and Google intend to do as much testing as needed until they perfect their respective systems.