Facebook to shut Bridgewater plant
The attempt by Facebook to deliver internet accessibility from the air has come to a sudden halt. Facebook put together Project Aquila based on technology developed by a Bridgwater company, Ascenta, that it purchased in 2016. Using light weight drones with a huge wingspan that could fly by solar power by day and battery at night the plan relied on the drones being airborne for long periods of time. In the end Facebook claimed that they had only managed 90 minutes continuous flight time. Other technologies for airborne internet connectivity being trialled by Google and Airbus amongst others have had more success and the Bridgwater plant that created the technology in the first place is now slated to be closed.