Project Loon is a research and development project being developed by Google X with the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas.
The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 32 km (20 mi) to create an aerial wireless network with up to 3G-like speeds.
It was named Project Loon, since Google itself found the very idea of providing internet access to the remaining 5 billion population unprecedented and “crazy.”
The balloons are maneuvered by adjusting their altitude to float to a wind layer after identifying the wind layer with the desired speed and direction using wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The system aims to bring Internet access to remote and rural areas poorly served by existing provisions, and to improve communication during natural disasters to affected regions.
Internet giant Google is no w working with the Indian government on a pilot project for providing Internet connectivity by using large balloons.
Google, under its ‘Project Loon’, has already tested this technology in New Zealand, California (the US) and Brazil.
According to PTI, Google approached government to set up the Loon project and Drone-based Internet transmission. Government has approved testing of Loon project only as of now. A committee under chairmanship of Secretary, DEITY, has been formed to work on it.
Google may initially partner with BSNL for testing this technology by using broadband spectrum in 2.6 Ghz band.
The technology, used for 4G services, has potential to replace mobile towers as it can directly transmit signals on 4G mobile phones.
The DEITY committee is looking at various aspects to facilitate test like identifying locations, coordination with various agencies.
