Google Acquires Titan Aerospace

[techbeck]

Google has acquired Titan Aerospace, the drone startup that makes high-flying robots which was previously scoped by Facebook as a potential acquisition target (as first reported by TechCrunch), the WSJ reports. The details of the purchase weren?t disclosed, but the deal comes after Facebook disclosed its own purchase of a Titan Aerospace competitor in U.K.-based Ascenta for its globe-spanning Internet plans.

 

Both Ascenta and Titan Aerospace are in the business of high altitude drones, which cruise nearer the edge of the earth?s atmosphere and provide tech that could be integral to blanketing the globe in cheap, omnipresent Internet connectivity to help bring remote areas online. According to the WSJ, Google will be using Titan Aerospace?s expertise and tech to contribute to Project Loon, the balloon-based remote Internet delivery project it?s currently working on along these lines.

 

That?s not all the Titan drones can help Google with, however. The company?s robots also take high-quality images in real-time that could help with Maps initiatives, as well as contribute to things like ?disaster relief? and addressing ?deforestation,? a Google spokesperson tells WSJ. The main goal, however, is likely spreading the potential reach of Google and its network, which is Facebook?s aim, too. When you saturate your market and you?re among the world?s most wealthy companies, you don?t got into maintenance mode; you build new ones.

 

As for why an exit to Google looked appealing to a company like Titan, Sarah Perez outlines how Titan had sparked early interest from VCs thanks to its massive drones, which were capable of flying at a reported altitude of 65,000 feet for up to three years, but how there was also a lot of risk involved that would?ve made finding sustained investment while remaining independent difficult.

 

More...

http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/google-acquires-titan-aerospace-the-drone-company-pursued-by-facebook/

[DocM]

They outbid Facebook.

As soon as the deal was announced Titan's homepage went black, save for an announcement of the purchase.

http://titanaerospace.com

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-buys-drone-company-titan-aerospace-2014-4

Google Buys Drone Company Titan Aerospace

Google has acquired drone maker Titan Aerospace, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Titan is a New Mexico-based company that makes high-flying solar powered drones.

There's no word on the price Google paid, but Facebook had been in talks to acquire the company earlier this year for a reported $60 million. Presumably, Google paid more than that to keep it away from Facebook. 

It sounds like Titan will work on a variety of projects for Google. 

Titan will be able to collect photos from around the planet from high up, which could help with Google Earth and Google Maps. It will also contribute to Google's Project Loon, which is sending balloons into the atmosphere which then beams Internet to parts of the world that are not yet connected. It's also likely to work with Makani, another company Google bought, that gets wind power high in the sky, anddelivers the energy back to earth through a long cable.

Google confirmed the acquisition to the Journal, and a spokesperson said, "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."

Titan's drones could potentially be in the air for five years at a time, relying on solar power to stay aloft, according to a report from last year. 

Here's what Titan's drones look like:

[Praetor]

so facebook pays 2 billion for whatsapp, but only 60 million for Titan? that CFO must be smoking some crazy ####.

[DocM]

I totally agree!!

Atmospheric satellites are an emerging tech with HUGE potential, both for civilian and military use. FB let a biggie get away.

[Jeston Veteran]

Topics merged.

[rr_dRock]

So now it'll be Google Aerospace?

 

That has a very "Overlordy" ring to it.

 

But srsly. This is awesome for future of the internet, and people in general.