PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Report: Facebook to Buy Drone Maker Titan Aerospace

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Facebook is looking to enter the game of drones.

The social media giant is reportedly in talks to purchase Titan Aerospace, a company that makes solar-powered, near-orbital drones, which can fly for about five years nonstop. Facebook would use the drones to help deliver internet access to areas of the world that still lack connectivity, according to TechCrunch.

Citing an unnamed source "with access to information about the deal," TechCrunch on Monday reported that Facebook will pay $60 million for Titan Aerospace, a privately held venture with research and development facilities in New Mexico. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the report.

If the deal goes through, Titan would purportedly begin building 11,000 unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver Internet access to regions in Africa as a start to Facebook's ambitious global connectivity project.

The rumor comes after Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg in August spearheaded a new organization dubbed Internet.org aimed at increasing access to the Web, with the stated goal of bringing the Internet "to the next 5 billion people." At this point, an estimated 2.7 billion people—about one-third of the world's population—have access to the Internet.

"Any plan to make Internet access broadly available will require making significant technology and business model improvements that enable some access to be either very cheap or free for people who can't otherwise afford it," Zuckerberg wrote in a white paper about Internet.org.

Google is also exploring the expansion of Internet access via aerial means with its Project Loon, a venture that would provide Web connections to underserved areas via high-flying balloons.

Meanwhile, Facebook isn't the only tech giant interested in drones. Amazon in December announced it is experimenting with drones that could provide half-hour, same-day delivery of its products to customers. However, the online retail giant said a formal introduction of the service, dubbed PrimeAir, is years away.

For more, check out our slideshow above of 12 Non-Lethal Uses For Drones.

For more, check out PCMag Live in the video below, which discusses Facebook's reported acquisition.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read full bio