Facebook starts work on drones to provide Internet to all

Facebook is reportedly working on building drones and lasers that could facilitate its goal of providing Internet connectivity to all.

The social networking giant has formed a team, called Facebook Connectivity Lab, which would invent new technologies in-house to deliver affordable Internet access to everyone, irrespective of technical or financial obstacles.

According to Cnet, the revelation about the Internet providing drone project comes amidst Facebook's decision to bring aboard five aerospace experts from UK-based Ascenta.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the experts from Ascenta would join their team working on connectivity aircraft.

The report said that the Connectivity Lab team is working on something called free-space optical communication (FSO), which uses light to transmit data through space with infrared laser beams.

It is said that Facebook would use long-endurance aircraft to port reliable Internet connections in sub-urban areas, and in lower-density areas the company is testing low-Earth orbit satellites to beam Internet access to the ground.