"Bird plan" to "spread" wireless network signals in hot air balloons

Charlesni (Charles Nimmo), a farmer in the small town of New Zealand, did not think that his companion to his flock would one day connect to the Internet through a hot-air balloon. About one months ago, Nemo received a mysterious phone call, after signing a confidentiality agreement,

Charles Nie, a farmer in the New Zealand town of Nimmo, did not think that his companion to his flock would one day connect to the Internet through a hot-air balloon.

About one months ago, Nemo received a mysterious phone call, after signing a confidentiality agreement, Nemo and the other 49 people know, Google (GOOG. NASDAQ) has come for the "Dive Bird Program".

At that time, Google technicians will be a basketball size of the bright red receiver installed in their home, the shape of the Google Map is like the logo icon.

Not long after, when the staff put a translucent hot air balloon shape like a jellyfish, Nemo became the world's first successful access to the "Hot Air Balloon Network" users.

Following the tradition of local farmers, Nemo's first thing after surfing the internet is to open the Google page to check the weather to determine whether the sheep should be sheared on that day. Although the hot air balloon stayed only 15 minutes above Nemo's house, he was still excited. "The speed and quality of the hot air balloon network access is much better than the dial-up copper network I use." ”

Using hot air balloons to "spread" the wireless network signal of the "bird Plan" is the Google X laboratory was born in another wild fantasy. At present, about two-thirds of the Earth people still do not have access to the Internet, Google hopes to use hot air balloons for rural, remote and underdeveloped areas to provide low-cost Internet services.

However, the "Hot air balloon network" still faces questions about its operability and stability. Telecommunications analyst Xiang on the "first financial daily" that the balloon hanging in the sky how to efficiently ensure the continuity of the network signal, Google hot air balloon is facing a major test, and another test is how to ensure the continuous supply of electricity.

Sky Network

Google's release of these hot air balloons is a mystery, the equipment hanging below include: Radio receivers, computers, highly controlled equipment and solar panels. The balloon will fly over 20 kilometers and above the earth, and will transmit signals to the terrestrial web site, which will "bounce" and transfer between the balloons.

Google official said that each balloon can float in the stratosphere for 100 days, in the course of flight from west to east, can provide wireless Internet services for the 40 km diameter area, covering an area of about 1256 square kilometers, more than the entire area of Hong Kong, and not affected by topography.

These hot-air balloon materials are used in the ultra-high pressure balloon polyethylene foam, more durable than meteorological balloon, can withstand higher pressure, after the completion of 12 meters high, 15 meters wide. At the same time at the top with a parachute, you can control the balloon Take-off and landing for maintenance and replacement. The electronic devices on the balloons are powered by solar panels, which can take up to 4 hours to fill a day.

The experiment is at an early stage. The choice of New Zealand as a starter is largely due to the fact that New Zealand is a country with a large rural population, and that traditional fibre-optic networks may be difficult to meet local demand.

Nemo, for example, gave up dial-up networking 4 years ago and switched to a satellite network, but later found it hard to afford to pay more than 1000 dollars a month.

"I'm almost ready to close my home network and get ready to work in town, but the arrival of Google's project could dramatically change the lives of many New Zealanders," he said. "said Nemo.

If the plan succeeds, it will benefit not only users like Nemo, who are in the developed world but still have access to the Internet, as well as those in distant villages, deserts, or underdeveloped areas.

In addition, the fact that most of the communications infrastructure has been damaged in 2011 after New Zealand's Christchurch earthquake was fresh. Google predicts a similar "hot air balloon Network" is expected to play an important role in post-disaster reconstruction in the future. This is one of the reasons why New Zealand was chosen to experiment.

Business Prospects

According to the plan, the first batch of 30 balloons fired from western New Zealand to the east, and 50 New Zealand residents with special receivers installed in their homes participated in the experiment.

Since then, more balloons will be released, with the equivalent latitude of Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Australia, the southern hemisphere, forming a hot-air balloon ring.

Google eventually plans to launch thousands of hot-air balloons to the stratosphere, using a global "hot air balloon Network" to provide services to 4.8 billion of the world's network-free population.

"In many parts of the world, Internet service is difficult to enjoy. "Although we can now connect to sub-Saharan Africa via satellite phones, this does not mean that people there can enjoy cheap, efficient internet services," said Richard DeVaul, director of the Google X Laboratory technology Richard Devols. ”

If the plan succeeds, Devore says, countries will be able to save large sums of money for laying cable fibres and building communications infrastructure.

For such a fledgling project, Google says it is too early to talk about commercialization. But in the industry, Google, the search for a start, was invested heavily in the construction of network infrastructure services, the goal is to build their own ecosystems, involving new microprocessors, Low-cost smartphones, Android operating system and other chains.

More netizens will be able to generate more revenue for Google. Currently, Google's online advertising revenue accounted for more than 50% of its annual income.

In fact, foreign media reported in May this year that Google will help build wireless networks in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, including the use of high altitude communications platforms (such as special balloons, soft small craft) to transmit signals, while also exporting low-cost handsets to those areas.

It is worth mentioning that, because the "hot air Balloon Network" launched by the wireless signal spectrum is not authorized, so Google does not have to face the cumbersome application process and regulatory procedures.

Technical challenges

In fact, the use of the sky to provide wireless network services is not pioneered by Google, the United States domestic similar attempts are not uncommon. But no company has ever had the business power and strength of Google.

Previously, it was suggested that a fixed platform could be built at high altitude to lock up with the corresponding ground to ensure the provision of internet signals. But Google rejected the idea that a fixed platform would have to contend with natural winds and that the equipment would be huge and expensive.

But the free float of the balloon also poses another problem: although the stratospheric airflow is relatively stable, there is no guarantee that balloons will not "run".

"We don't want the balloon to go with the wind, and we want it to stay where the Web services are needed," he said. "So you have to control the hot air balloon in the stratosphere and up and down to adjust to the right wind direction," Devore said. ”

Devore the tiny adjustment of the position of the balloon to the ballet dancer's flexible movement on tiptoe, which suggests that it requires very precise computer technology.

The other two issues of concern, including whether it will affect the flight of the aircraft, and if the balloon failure to the ground will cause casualties.

"These hot-air balloons are fitted with flashing markings and radar reflectors, so they do not affect the aircraft performing the mission," he said. "Of course, because the hot air balloon floats high in the air, people on the ground don't have to worry about the sudden fall," Devore said. Even if there is a sudden situation, the balloon itself with a parachute, will safely land to the ground. ”

Although seemingly foolproof, the industry still has questions. Xiang to reporters that Google hot air balloon on the Internet sounds novel and interesting, but the current conditions are still not good to say.

Xiang said that wireless networks need routers to transmit signals, the current common practice is through optical cables, in addition to expensive satellite connections and slow transmission of microwave transmission, hanging in the sky balloons how to efficiently ensure the continuity of network signals, Google balloons are facing a big test, Another test is how to ensure a continuous supply of electricity.

"You can't provide enough bandwidth to each user in such a wide area of coverage," says Peter Rysavy, a rysavy research company at Les Aivis. At least in the United States, this technology is of little use except in rural areas. ”