Facebook’s solar-powered drone project for internet connectivity was called Aquila.
Aquila was an experimental high-altitude drone developed by Facebook’s Connectivity Lab. The aircraft was designed to operate like an atmospheric satellite: solar cells on its broad wing would power electric motors during the day, while batteries would support flight at night. Facebook intended to use it as an airborne relay station to connect remote areas to the internet.
The full-scale prototype made its first flight on June 28, 2016, in Arizona. A second test flight took place in 2017. The design had a wingspan roughly comparable to a Boeing 737 but was far lighter, illustrating the project’s emphasis on long-duration, high-altitude flight.
Facebook stopped internal development of Aquila in June 2018 as it shifted toward partnerships with aerospace companies and high-altitude platform technology. Project Loon was Google’s separate balloon-based connectivity effort; Project Titan and Project Skybender were also different initiatives.