Page 76 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019
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ARTICLE  SAMENA TRENDS

                                                                                 standards  for unmanned  free  balloons
                                                                                 set  by  the  United  Nations’  International
                                                                                 Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO). These
                                                                                 ICAO standards are recognized by the vast
                                                                                 majority  of  countries  around  the  world.
                                                                                 Loon maintains continuous telemetry and
                                                                                 command links with every balloon, tracking
                                                                                 the location using GPS.  When a balloon is
                                                                                 ready to be taken out of service, the lift gas
                                                                                 keeping the balloon aloft is released and the
                                                                                 parachute automatically deploys to control
                                                                                 the landing. Descents are coordinated with
                                                                                 local air traffic control to land the balloon
                                                                                 safely  in  a  sparsely  populated  area.  We
                                                                                 have a team in Mountain View dedicated to
                                                                                 managing balloon retrieval and analyzing
                                                                                 the balloons when they return, and we have
                                                                                 trained recovery teams around the world,
                                                                                 on  call  to  retrieve  the  balloons  for  reuse
                                                                                 and recycling after they land.
        Navigating the Wind                  has since improved on our techniques to   Ready for Flight
        Loon balloons  can reach  countries   increase the amount  of time one balloon
        around the world from our launch sites by   can remain over areas needed service.    We  are  thrilled  to  share  the  Loon  story
        navigating  the  wind.  In  the  stratosphere,                           and look forward to continuing  the
        different wind currents exist at  different   Aviation Safety - Our Number One Priority  conversation. Loon will be at the upcoming
        altitudes.  By  moving  up  or  down  into   Loon operates at an altitude nearly twice   Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from
        these  different currents, balloons  can   as  high as  commercial  aircraft.  Because   24  to  27  February,  2020.  I  also  welcome
        change speed and direction and navigate   we  operate  in  air  space, Loon  secures   you  to  contact  me  in  Mountain  View  at
        to  where  we  need  them  to  go.  Predictive   necessary approvals in all locations where   [email protected].  Please  follow  us
                                                                                 at  www.loon.com and on LinkedIn.  We’ll
        models  of the winds and autonomous   we  operate.  Safety  is  critically  important   see you in the stratosphere!
        decision-making  algorithms help  the   to our  operation and mission, so we
        balloons  navigate  efficiently.  Loon’s   adhere to or exceed  the international
        entire   navigation   system   functions
        autonomously using our custom software.
        By  moving  with  the  wind,  Loon  balloons
        can be arranged into small  clusters to
        provide periods of prolonged connectivity
        in  a  defined  area.  One  balloon  moves
        into  place  just  as  another  one  leaves.
        Originally,  Loon  envisioned  creating  rings
        of balloons sailing around the globe, and
        balloons would take turns moving through
        a  region  to  provide  service.  Advances
        in the understanding  of wind currents
        in the stratosphere, combined with
        improvements to the software algorithms
        that help balloons navigate, have allowed
        us to cluster balloons over specific areas.
        This helps maximize the time balloons are
        spending  over  areas  where  people  need
        service. In fact, during a test in 2016, Loon
        engineers  managed  to keep  a balloon  in
        Peruvian  airspace  for  98  days.  The  team







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