Facebook's drone Aquila to use laser to beam down internet access on earth

On the second day of its F8 conference at Fort Mason in San Francisco, Facebook has reportedly announced its plan to use a drone to beam the Internet down to billions of people around the world.

Codenamed Aquila, the drone had wingspan comparable to a Boeing 767 aircraft but uses lightweight materials that allow it to measure less than a car, reported TechCrunch.

The social media giant said that the drone had to be incredibly light as it's going to be kept aloft for as long as three months at a time using solar power. Aquila will push internet access down to people 60,000-90,000 feet below using lasers, and will also maintain contact between drones to maintain coverage across wider regions.

Facebook said that it will begin testing flights this summer but added that a broader rollout could take several years.