Audio By Carbonatix
Google has confirmed it has closed its internet drone project Titan, three years after it bought the business.
The drones were designed to bring the internet to remote rural areas, complementing its Loon project - a similar initiative using hot air balloons.
However, the solar-powered vehicles have faced technical difficulties and funding challenges.
On Wednesday, blog 9to5 Google revealed Titan had actually shut in early 2016.
A statement from X, the Google division responsible for Titan, confirmed the news.
"Titan was brought into X in late 2015. We ended our exploration of high altitude unmanned aerial vehicles for internet access shortly after," it said.
"By comparison, at this stage the economics and technical feasibility of Project Loon present a much more promising way to connect rural and remote parts of the world."
Google acquired Titan Aerospace in 2014, reportedly fending off a bid from Facebook, which has also been trialling internet-providing drones.
At the time Google said it was "early days", but that "atmospheric satellites could help bring internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation".
However, after test flights began in 2015, reports alleged that Titan was facing technical difficulties and was running out of money.
In mid-2015, the Titan team also experienced a crash in the Arizona desert which was later linked to a wing fault.
The statement added that "many" Titan staff had been reassigned to different parts of the business, including Project Loon and Wing, a division dedicated to providing drone-based deliveries.
Facebook's internet drones have also faced problems.
The firm's Aquila drone crashed during a test flight in June, prompting an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, and an explosion destroyed one of its satellites earlier in 2016.
Latest Stories
-
Families pick Luv Fm Family Party to celebrate Easter Monday with music and more
3 minutes -
Legal and procurement red flags in Ghana Gas insurance change — IMANI
13 minutes -
Kaneshie footbridge rehabilitation to take up to 9 months — AMA
21 minutes -
AMA confirms trading will be banned on Kaneshie footbridge after rehabilitation
31 minutes -
IMANI flags procurement concerns in state insurance placements
36 minutes -
Mahama’s push for visa-free Africa reflects Nkrumah’s Pan-African vision – Rashid Tanko-Computer
1 hour -
Redefining sweetness: Why our celebrations must heal, not harm
1 hour -
IMANI urges Mahama to reaffirm his 2014 directive on competitive state insurance placements
1 hour -
Maiden Katon Praise comes off at Accra Sports Stadium on April 17
1 hour -
Families flock to Luv FM Easter party at Rattray park in Kumasi
2 hours -
Rural health worker laments overwhelming burden at CHPS compounds
2 hours -
Katon Meet to stream Accra stadium Katon Praise Concert worldwide
2 hours -
Gov’t considers exploring local raw materials to stabilise production costs of sachet water prices
2 hours -
Mahama in Paris: Turning Diplomacy into Delivery
2 hours -
Middle East crisis shows Ghana needs to diversify energy sources – Energy expert
3 hours