4 ms·

Anyone know how Project Loon is doing? It's been awhile since I've heard anything. https://x.company/loon/ https://x.company/loon/ It seemed similar.

by shawn 8y ago

dingaling 8y ago
They made a major advance in the last couple of years by integrating real-time wind data to the flight planning. The baloons can 'loiter' much better now by changing altitude to drift back and forth over an area of interest.
Gargoyle 8y ago
Google balloons still show up on ASD-B (aircraft transponder tracking) from time to time, but beyond that I dunno.
- zymhan 8y ago
  Yup, I saw one floating over Georgia recently. It floated over from the Caribbean.
mikeyouse 8y ago
It looks like they're actively hiring to commercialize Loon, which seems like a good sign: https://careers.google.com/jobs#!t=jo&jid=/x/head-of-supply-chain-loon-x-google-building-41-1600-amphitheatre-2623620086 https://careers.google.com/jobs#!t=jo&jid=/x/head-of-supply-... > Preferred qualifications: > Have taken a telecommunications product or aerospace product from concept to mass production
shaklee3 8y ago
Not very well. They had a short span during the hurricane disasters where they got publicity, but they face a lot of the same problems: spectrum, movement, and small coverage areas.
tiredwired 8y ago
They appear on https://www.flightradar24.com/ https://www.flightradar24.com/ once in a while. 3 in Northern Nevada right now.
jpm_sd 8y ago
my initial reaction to this news was "oh good, now Google can cancel Loon without feeling like they lost to Facebook"
oh_sigh 8y ago
If Musk launches his satellite data mesh, would loon still have a place?
- wongarsu 8y ago
  That's hard to tell at this point. From a pure physics standpoint, loon should be able to outperform satellites in urban areas and in receiver cost. I'm sceptical if that is enough to justify the project, but we don't know how Musk's satellites will perform yet
- kayoone 8y ago
  Arguably no, but lets see if Musks plans are more than PR speak to build up hype. Right now, Google is way ahead.
- londons_explore 8y ago
  With current designs, Musks satellies need special ground stations to communicate with. They can't beam internet direct to your phone. Loon can connect direct to your phone. Both will require a fairly decent set of base stations so the balloon/satellite itself can connect to the internet.
jacknv7 8y ago
Here is some info from my observations of the Google Loon activity out of Winnemucca, Nevada... https://desertfog.org/projects/project-loon/launch-activity/ https://desertfog.org/projects/project-loon/launch-activity/

Anyone know how Project Loon is doing? It's been awhile since I've heard anything. https://x.company/loon/ https://x.company/loon/ It seemed similar.

by shawn 8y ago

Anyone know how Project Loon is doing? It's been awhile since I've heard anything. https://x.company/loon/ https://x.company/loon/ It seemed similar.

dingaling 8y ago

They made a major advance in the last couple of years by integrating real-time wind data to the flight planning. The baloons can 'loiter' much better now by changing altitude to drift back and forth over an area of interest.

Gargoyle 8y ago

Google balloons still show up on ASD-B (aircraft transponder tracking) from time to time, but beyond that I dunno.

zymhan 8y ago
Yup, I saw one floating over Georgia recently. It floated over from the Caribbean.

mikeyouse 8y ago

It looks like they're actively hiring to commercialize Loon, which seems like a good sign: https://careers.google.com/jobs#!t=jo&jid=/x/head-of-supply-chain-loon-x-google-building-41-1600-amphitheatre-2623620086 https://careers.google.com/jobs#!t=jo&jid=/x/head-of-supply-... > Preferred qualifications: > Have taken a telecommunications product or aerospace product from concept to mass production

shaklee3 8y ago

Not very well. They had a short span during the hurricane disasters where they got publicity, but they face a lot of the same problems: spectrum, movement, and small coverage areas.

tiredwired 8y ago

They appear on https://www.flightradar24.com/ https://www.flightradar24.com/ once in a while. 3 in Northern Nevada right now.

jpm_sd 8y ago

my initial reaction to this news was "oh good, now Google can cancel Loon without feeling like they lost to Facebook"

oh_sigh 8y ago

If Musk launches his satellite data mesh, would loon still have a place?

wongarsu 8y ago
That's hard to tell at this point. From a pure physics standpoint, loon should be able to outperform satellites in urban areas and in receiver cost. I'm sceptical if that is enough to justify the project, but we don't know how Musk's satellites will perform yet
kayoone 8y ago
Arguably no, but lets see if Musks plans are more than PR speak to build up hype. Right now, Google is way ahead.
londons_explore 8y ago
With current designs, Musks satellies need special ground stations to communicate with. They can't beam internet direct to your phone. Loon can connect direct to your phone. Both will require a fairly decent set of base stations so the balloon/satellite itself can connect to the internet.

jacknv7 8y ago

Here is some info from my observations of the Google Loon activity out of Winnemucca, Nevada... https://desertfog.org/projects/project-loon/launch-activity/ https://desertfog.org/projects/project-loon/launch-activity/