The correct way to look at this is to think of the drones as very low, maneuverable satellites, not airplanes. They're up in unregulated airspace above airliner

The correct way to look at this is to think of the drones as very low, maneuverable satellites, not airplanes. They're up in unregulated airspace above airliners and above most weather. The lower you are, the lower the latency. Think of a laser-based optical network that connects the drones, with laser links going down to earth as well. When you think of the control required to ensure a quality of service and full coverage, the balloons seems like a terrible solution.