Facebook plans to develop a fleet of drones powered by sunlight that will fly for months at a time, communicating with each other through lasers and extending internet connectivity to the ground below.
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The company called the first test, in June 2016, a success after it flew above the Arizona desert for 1 hour and 36 minutes, three times longer than planned. It later said the drone had also crashed moments before landing and had suffered a damaged wing.
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The second test occurred on May 22, Martin Luis Gomez, Facebook's director of aeronautical platforms, said in a blog post. The aircraft flew for an hour and 46 minutes before landing near Yuma, Arizona, with only "a few minor, easily-repairable dings," he said.
Facebook engineers had added "spoilers" to the aircraft's wings to increase drag and reduce lift during the landing approach, Gomez said.
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