GDh. Atoll, Maldives – Google Loon Project balloon which fell into waters of Gaafu Dhaalu atoll this morning, has been retrieved and handed over to the Loon team in Maldives.
MNDF said that a squadron from MNDF Southern area was deployed to the location of the balloon, after the report was received from Civil Aviation Authority at 10:08 am this morning. MNDF further said that the operation to retrieve the balloon was coordinated by MNDF Male’ area Coastguard, MNDF Southern area squadron, Hulhule’ Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Maldives Civil Aviation Authority.
Google “Loon Project” ge Balooneh Raajjeyge kan'duge sarahahdhah vettumaa gulhigen MNDF Southern Area ge sifain harakaaiytherive, e balloon hoadhai, Raajjeyge Google Team aa havaallukoffi. Mi haadhisaa ge mauloomaathu MNDF Coast Guard ah libifaivany miadhu 10:08 haairu. pic.twitter.com/x80LUlPpwm
— Maldives National Defence Force (@MNDF_Official) October 29, 2020
Loon LLC is an Alphabet Inc. subsidiary working on providing internet access to rural and remote areas. The company uses high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere to create an aerial wireless network with up to 1 Mbps speeds. Project Loon began as a research and development project by Google which later formed a company of its own.
MNDF said that balloon which fell did not cause any harm to any person and it does not have any damages as well. The Google Loon Project balloons will be flying over different areas of Maldives on different days and the pathway of the balloons are visible on the flight radars.
