Robot Blimps for Wireless Communication?

We've talked about robotic blimps before, but not for this kind of application. This time a Californian entrepreneur, Bob Jones, is floating the idea of having large fleets of autonomous blimps provide wireless communication coverage for large areas. The blimps could take the place of both telecom towers on land and satellites orbiting the earth.

Jones is planning tests of a 1/5 scale blimp in the Mojave Desert later this month.

If everything goes as planned, remote-controlled flights would launch later this year from nearby Edwards Air Force Base. During the tests, the airship is expected to float to 45,000 feet for several hours. He envisions the commercial airships will rise to 65,000 feet — or about 13 miles — and stay aloft for 18 months at a time.

You can read more about the business plans on Sanswire's website.

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Robot Blimps for Wireless Communication?

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