Internet search-engine giant Google recently announced that it is to acquire Titan Aerospace, a New Mexico manufacturer of solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones. The company, which has around 20 employees, says that its drones — still in development — will be able to fly non-stop for five years at an altitude of some 65,000ft, beaming wireless signals to the ground.

A Google spokesman said: “It is still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help to bring Internet access to millions of people and to solve other problems, including environmental damage like deforestation. Both Titan Aerospace and Google share a profound optimism about the potential for technology to improve the world.”

Google did not release the financial terms of the transaction.

The Facebook social-media group was reportedly interested in acquiring Titan last year, but it announced in March that it was acquiring Ascenta — a UK firm that specialises in solar-powered UAVs.