Google to acquire drone manufacturer

Search engine beats off competition from Facebook for New Mexico-based company

High-altitude drone manufacturer Titan Aerospace has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum.

The 20-man Titan team will be paired with Google's Project Loon, which is building large, high-altitude balloons that send internet signals to areas of the planet that are currently offline. Using high-altitude aircraft is seen as cheaper and quicker than installing wired telecoms networks in countries with little infrastructure and sparse populations.

Titan's drones, which fly above the altitude where commercial aircraft fly and below where satellites orbit, can stay in the air for up to five years without having to refuel. The drone could also be used to take pictures of the earth's surface, potentially making Google's mapping software more accurate.

Google said: “Titan Aerospace and Google share a profound optimism about the potential for technology to improve the world. It's still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation.”

The search engine beat off competition from Facebook, who was in talks to buy the company earlier this year, to snap up the two-year start up. Facebook ended up acquiring UK-based unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer Ascenta for $20 million.

In 2013 Amazon's chief executive Jeff Bezos said the company is planning a drone delivery service.