Airbus, the leader in aircraft manufacturing, has forged ahead of Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) by developing a drone that is solar powered and is capable of performing duties of a traditional satellite at a lower cost.

Airbus has named this drone, Zephyr and according to Bloomberg’s Sam Grobart, this drone is much more than an aircraft, but it is considered to be a HAPS (high altitude pseudo satellite).

Christopher Kelleher, the technical director of Zephyr, reiterates the fact that this drone can perform the same duties that a traditional satellite (which costs approximately in $2 billion) but at a lower cost and much closer to the earth’s surface.  Unlike traditional satellites that will rotate hundreds of miles away from the earths surface, the Zephyr will operate just 65,000 feet and will remain Geo stationery.  This means that the drone will remain in a specific location for an extended period of time, which in turn will offer more stable internet connections to remote areas.

Both Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) were discussing using aircraft light balloons and drones to more effectively transmit internet signals to areas that are remote and have little to no coverage.    These tech companies were trying to tap into uncharted territory and hopefully bring business opportunities to area that are deficient in internet connections.  Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) may now have to take a closer look at the latest innovation developed by Airbus in terms of cost effectiveness.

One of the benefits of the Zephyr is the fact that it will fly without fuel.  The light weight carbon body is covered in solar panels that are used to power the drone and keep it running all night and day.  In fact, the lighter the aircraft is, the longer the battery life.  The engineers of the Zephyr are constantly working of new ideas to make the drone lighter.  The plan, set forth by Airbus, is to use this drone as a low cost solution to bring reliable internet connection to areas that, in the past, have struggled with conventional satellite communication.

Airbus does not seem concerned with the potential incoming competition in space, especially from Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL).  In fact, they welcome the competition because they feel that it will only strengthen the innovation going on in space.

Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) opened the market today at 74.28 and at 9:39 am. Eastern daylight time, it is 74.18 per share.  They have a 52 week outlook ranging from 43.55 to 81.16 and a market capital of 108.00B.  The institutional ownership of Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) is 66%.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) was 561.01 when the market opened and just a few minutes later, at 9:39 am eastern standard time, it is 558.28 a share.  The 52 week outlook ranged from 503.30to 615.42 with a market capital of 377.03B.  The institutional ownership of Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is 83%.

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