cryptogon.com

The technology company announced Monday that it has acquired Titan Aerospace, a start-up founded in 2012 that makes high-altitude, solar-powered drones.

The purchase is part of the new push in Silicon Valley to find ways of delivering Internet service to underserved areas, particularly in the developing world.

“Titan Aerospace and Google share a profound optimism about the potential for technology to improve the world,” Google said. “It’s still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation.”

The Titan team will operate separately from Google, but will collaborate with divisions including Google Maps and Project Loon, which has been working on delivering Internet service from high-altitude balloons.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Titan touts a variety of applications for its drones, including data delivery, crop monitoring and search-and-rescue aid. The vehicles can stay aloft for up to five years without having to land or refuel, making them an intriguing possibility for beaming out Internet service.