Page 76 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

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 juliekearney@loon.com. 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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