Facebook patents high-tech drone that uses kites to stay in the air for long periods of time

Facebook has patented a high-tech drone that uses a unique apparatus to stay afloat. 

The filing, titled ‘Dual-kite aerial vehicle,’ describes an unmanned aerial vehicle that is attached to two kites and can be flown at different altitudes. 

The kites allow the drone to remain in the air for an extended period of time ‘while consuming little or no fuel,’ according to the patent. 

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Facebook has patented a high-tech drone that uses a unique apparatus to stay afloat. The filing, ‘Dual-kite aerial vehicle,’ describes an unmanned aerial vehicle tethered to two kites

The drone is attached to the two kites via a tether, which are each able to maintain flight at different altitudes.  

It’s equipped with a flight control system so that it can change directions, altitude, speed, pitch, ‘angle of attack’ and other movements. 

The patent was filed in November 2018 but was only made public on Thursday.

Facebook goes on to say in the patent that the drone would be cheaper and more lightweight than traditional aerial vehicles.

‘The dual-kite aerial vehicle reduces fuel consumption by converting various environmental forces to electrical energy to power components of the dual-kite aerial vehicle,’ the patent states. 

‘…As mentioned above, reducing fuel consumption in this way reduces an overall weight of the dual-kite aerial vehicle as well as costs associated with storing and consuming fuel for powering the dual-kite aerial vehicle, thereby reducing overall cost of operation of the dual-kite aerial vehicle.’

Facebook filed the patent in November 2018 but was only made public on Thursday. It’s unclear whether the unmanned aerial vehicle will ever come to fruition, however

In the patent, Facebook goes on to say in the patent that the drone would be cheaper and more lightweight than traditional aerial vehicles, thanks in part to the fact that it requires little fuel

Like most patents, it’s unclear if the technology described by Facebook therein will ever make it to fruition. 

Should Facebook build the UAV, however, it wouldn’t mark the company’s first foray into drones. 

Last June, Facebook quietly ended its plans to launch solar-powered drones as part of its Project Aquila initiative.

With Project Aquila no more, the company is now working with Airbus to test drones in Australia.  

Facebook and Airbus planned to conduct tests at Wyndham Airfield in Western Australia last November and December, using Airbus’ pioneering solar-powered ‘Zephyr’ drone.     

WHAT WAS FACEBOOK’S PROJECT AQUILA?

Project Aquila was once a big part of Facebook’s plans to provide an internet connection to people worldwide.

It aimed to build a fleet of internet-beaming, solar-powered drones that had the wingspan of a Boeing 737 and weighed the same as a family car.

The drones, flying at 65,000ft (19,800 metres), would be capable of staying in the air for months at a time.

Project Aquila aimed to build a fleet of internet-beaming, solar-powered drones that had the wingspan of a Boeing 737 and weighed the same as a family car. Pictured is one of the firm’s prototype vehicles

They were relatively cheap and would be most effective for suburban areas that do not have the cables or infrastructure to carry internet or telephone signals.

The internet access would be transmitted in the form of free-space optical communication, or FSO, which transmits data using infrared laser beams.

Facebook envisaged hundreds of these electric-powered drones firing laser-guided internet access to remote corners of the world.

Launched in 2014, the Aquila team twice flew a prototype drone, though the craft suffered a broken wing as it came in to land during one test flight.

In June 2018, Facebook announced it was scrapping the project in favour of new deals with aerospace firms like Airbus.