The word on just about everyInternetuser ’s lips these day is " broadband . " We have so much more data to transmit and download today , include audio Indian file , TV Indian file and photo , that it ’s clogging our wimpy modem . Many cyberspace users are switching tocable modemsanddigital endorser lines(DSLs ) to increase their bandwidth . There ’s also a newfangled type of Robert William Service being develop that will take broadband into the air .
At least three ship’s company are planning to provide eminent - speeding wireless Internet connectedness by site aircraft in fixed patterns over hundreds of urban center . Angel Technologiesis design an airborne Internet web , calledHigh Altitude Long Operation(HALO ) , which would use lightweight aeroplane to circle overhead and provide data delivery faster than aT1 linefor clientele . Consumers would get a link corresponding to DSL . Also , AeroVironmenthas team up withNASAon a solar - power , unmanned plane that would ferment like the HALO electronic web , andSky Station Internationalis planning a standardized venture using blimps instead of planes .
The Net Takes Flight
The computer most masses use comes with a standard 56 K modem , which means that in an ideal situation your estimator would downstream at a rate of 56 kilobits per second ( Kbps ) . That hurrying is far too slow to handle the immense streaming - television and euphony files that more consumers are demanding today . That ’s where the need for bigger bandwidth – broadband – comes in , allow a bully amount of data to flow to and from your computer . Land - based billet are limited physically in how much data they can surrender because of the diameter of the cable or headphone demarcation . In an airborne Internet , there is no such physical limit , enabling a blanket capacity .
Several companies have already shown thatsatellite Internetaccess can work . The airborne Internet will function much like satellite - establish Internet access , but without the time delay . Bandwidth of satellite and airborne Internet memory access are typically the same , but it will take less clock time for the airborne Internet to relay data point because it is not as in high spirits up . artificial satellite revolve at several hundreds of miles above Earth . The airborne - Internet aircraft will circulate overhead at an altitude of 52,000 to 69,000 feet ( 15,849 to 21,031 m ) . At this ALT , the aircraft will be undisturbed by inclement weather and flying well above commercial-grade melody dealings .
Networks using in high spirits - EL aircraft will also have a cost reward over satellites because the aircraft can be deployed easily – they do n’t have to be launch into blank space . However , the airborne Internet will in reality be used to compliment the satellite and land - ground electronic connection , not replace them . These airborne meshwork will overcome thelast - milebarriers confront established cyberspace entree selection . The " last mile " refer to the fact that memory access to high - speed cables still depends on physical law of proximity , and that for this ground , not everyone who need admittance can have it . It would take a batch of time to provide cosmopolitan access using cable television or phone lines , just because of the clock time it takes to set up the wires . An airborne meshwork will immediately overcome the last mile as soon as the aircraft takes off .
The airborne Internet wo n’t be whole wireless . There will be basis - based components to any type of airborne Internet web . The consumer will have to instal an transmitting aerial on their home or business so as to receive signal from the web hub overhead . The networks will also work out with established Internet Service Providers ( ISPs ) , who will provide their in high spirits - electrical capacity end for use by the web . These ISPs have a fiber full point of comportment – their fiber optics are already sic up . What the airborne net will do is provide an base that can reach areas that do n’t have broadband cables and wire .
In the next three section , we will take a look at the three aircraft that could be add you wideband Internet access from the sky .
A HALO Over Head
One the three party develop an airborne Internet web is Angel Technologies . ItsHALO Networkuses theProteusplane , which will carrywireless networkingequipment into the air .
The Proteus aeroplane was developed byScaled Composites . It is designed with long wings and the lowwing loadingneeded for extended high - altitude flight of stairs . Wing burden is equal to the integral mickle of the planer split by its wing area . Proteus will fly at heights of 9.5 and 11.4 miles ( 15.3 and 18.3 klick ) and cover an domain up to 75 mi ( 120.7 kilometer ) in diameter . The plane still require to receive approval from theFederal Aviation Administration .
At the heart of Angel ’s Proteus planes is the one - tonairborne - net hub , which is what let the plane to relay data sign from priming coat place to your work and home estimator . The airborne - internet hub consists of an antenna regalia and electronics for wireless communication . The antenna regalia creates hundreds of virtual electric cell , like mobile - speech sound cells , on the priming coat to serve thousands of drug user . The load is liquid - cooled and operate off of about 20 kilowatt of DC major power . An 18 - foot smasher underneath the woodworking plane is responsible for mull mellow - speed information signals from a ground station to your computer .
Each metropolis in the HALO connection will be allotted three piloted Proteus planer . Each plane will flee for eight hour before the next sheet bring off . Angel CEO Marc Arnold says his company has identified 3,500 airports in the United States that can fit HALO ’s operational needs . After takeoff , the Proteus plane will climb to a safe altitude , above any bad weather condition or commercial traffic , and start out an 8 - mile loop around the metropolis . Each carpenter’s plane will accommodate two pilots , who will part flying tariff during their eight - hour flight .
Floating On Air
Sky Station International is look on its blimps to beat Angel to the poke in the race to deliver gamey - swiftness Internet access from high altitudes . Sky Station call in its sausage balloon light - than - air platforms , and plans to station these airships over at least 250 city worldwide , one over each metropolis . Each station would fly at an altitude of 13 miles ( 21 km ) and provide wireless service to an arena of just about 7,500 substantial miles ( 19,000 square kilometre ) .
Each blimp will be powered by solar and fuel cells and be equipped with a telecommunication consignment to provide wireless broadband connections . The blimps will be capable to carrying loading of up to about 2,200 pounds ( 1,000 kilogram ) . Sky Station believes it can have its first blimp deployed by 2002 . Each sausage will have a life history couple of about five to 10 year . Sky Station says that its user depot will enable wideband connections of between 2 and 10 Mb per second ( Mbps).Click hereto see how the Sky Station system works .
NASA’s Sub-space Plans
Not to be leave out of the high - flying Internet diligence , NASA is also make for a role in a potential airborne cyberspace system being grow by AeroVironment . NASA and AeroVironment are work on a solar - powered , lightweight plane that could fly over a city for six months or more , at 60,000 feet , without land . AeroVironment plans to use these unmanned planes as the attack aircraft carrier to supply broadband Internet access .
Helios is currently in the prototype level , and there is still a lot of examination to be done to accomplish the endurance levels needed for AeroVironment ’s telecommunication system . AeroVironment plan to establish its system within three years of receiving financial support for the project . When it does , a single Helios airplane fly at 60,000 foot will cover a religious service area approximately 40 miles in diam . For actuation , it will utilize 14 brushless , 2 - horsepower , lineal - currentelectric motors .
The Helios prototype is constructed out of materials such as carbon roughage , graphite epoxy glue , Kevlar and Styrofoam , covered with a fragile , lucid skin . The main pole supporting the wing is made out of carbon roughage , and is thicker on the top than on the bottom to absorb the constant deflection during flight . The wing ’s ribs are made of epoxy glue and carbon fiber . Styrofoam comprises the wing ’s front border , and a clear , plastic plastic film is wrap around the intact wing eubstance .
The all - wing airplane is divide into six sections , each 41 ft ( 12.5 m ) long . A pod carrying the landing gear is attached under the offstage part of each section . These pod also house thebatteries , flight of stairs - control computers and data instrumentation . mesh hub for AeroVironment ’s telecommunications organisation would likely be placed here as well .
It seems that airborne Internet could take off in the very near future . If and when those planes and blimps start encircle to supplement our current modes of connection , download the monolithic files we ’ve come to crave for amusement or depend on for byplay function will be a snap – even if we subsist somewhere in that " last sea mile . "
