PHOTOS of drones to be used by facebook to bring free internet to rural communities around the world

We are in the technology era and its finding you right on your door step.

Facebook has revealed its first full-scale drone, which it plans to use to provide internet access in remote parts of the world. The solar powered drone, code named Aquila,will be able to fly without landing for three months at a time, using a laser to beam data to a base station on the ground.

However Facebook will not be dealing with the customers directly and instead will be dealing with the local Internet Service Providers to offer the service.

The aircraft, with the wings of a Boeing 737 wings, will be tested later this year .

Facebook CEO Marck Zuckerberg said in a statement that the unmanned aircraft will supplement internet.org, Facebook’s connectivity initiative that is in 13 countries including Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Ghana.

Internet.org work with developers who are aligned with our mission of connecting people who are unconnected. Facebook last month called on Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom Kenya to pa

rtner with it so that they can benefit from Internet.org.

The plane will operate between 60,000ft (18km) and 90,000ft (27km) above the altitude of commercial planes and to avoid weather interruptions. It will climb to maximum during the day and glide slowly down to the lowest ebb at night to save power when its solar panels are not receiving charge.

Aquila was built in 14 months and it is equipped with helium balloons that will help lift the plane when fully laden with communications gear, it will weigh just 880lbs (400kg), less than a fifth of the recognizable Reaper drone used by the US military, even though the Aquila drone has a wingspan of 46 yards (42m), compared to the Reaper’s 16 yard (15m) breadth.