Facebook ready to test giant drone for Internet service – The Boston Globe

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Facebook will begin test flights this year for a solar-powered drone with a wingspan as big as a Boeing 737’s, in the next stage of its campaign to deliver Internet connectivity to remote parts of the world.

Engineers at the giant social network say they’ve built a drone with a 140-foot wingspan that weighs less than 1,000 pounds. Designed to fly at high altitude for up to three months, it will use lasers to send Internet signals to ground stations.

Facebook is known for online software that lets people share news with friends, watch viral videos — and view commercial advertising. But engineers in a unit called the Connectivity Lab are working on a different set of problems.

For one thing, they are designing a laser communications system they hope will be accurate enough to hit a target the size of a dime at a distance of 11 miles, said Yael Maguire, director of the unit, which is responsible for drones, satellites, and other high-tech communications projects.

via Facebook ready to test giant drone for Internet service – The Boston Globe.

via Facebook ready to test giant drone for Internet service – The Boston Globe.

Airliners come within 100 feet of drone over New York – CNN.com

The first, JetBlue Flight 1834, reported spotting a drone at 2:24 p.m. while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In the audio recording, the cockpit says that the drone passed just below the planes nose when the jet was flying at an altitude of about 800 to 900 feet.

Then at about 5 p.m., Delta Flight 407 — which had 154 people on board — was preparing to land when the cockpit reported seeing a drone below its right wing.

Neither plane needed to take evasive action, according to the FAA.

via Airliners come within 100 feet of drone over New York – CNN.com.

via Airliners come within 100 feet of drone over New York – CNN.com.

Softbank’s Pepper robot offered as rental assistant for Japan businesses

When Softbank made its Pepper helper robot available for sale back in June, the device sold out almost immediately.

Now, before announcing the availability of additional units to the general public, the company is offering the robot as a rental device, officially putting robots in the same category as other mainstream rental appliances (at least in Japan).

via Softbank’s Pepper robot offered as rental assistant for Japan businesses.

via Softbank’s Pepper robot offered as rental assistant for Japan businesses.

Aussie daredevil surfs waves on his motorbike in mind-blowing footage

The Aussie daredevil is no stranger to wild stunts, but recently he outdid himself. On August 2, DC Shoes shared a video on YouTube titled “Pipe Dream,” which shows “Maddo” riding on water with his motorbike, surfing waves on his motorbike and performing other God-like activities to slam home the fact that he is not a human.

via Aussie daredevil surfs waves on his motorbike in mind-blowing footage.

via Aussie daredevil surfs waves on his motorbike in mind-blowing footage.

Guy Builds A ‘Pacific Rim’-Style Exosuit, And A Robot That Moves In Tandem With It – Digg

Guy Builds A ‘Pacific Rim’-Style Exosuit, And A Robot That Moves In Tandem With It

via Guy Builds A ‘Pacific Rim’-Style Exosuit, And A Robot That Moves In Tandem With It – Digg.

via Guy Builds A ‘Pacific Rim’-Style Exosuit, And A Robot That Moves In Tandem With It – Digg.