The MIT-connected startup Altaeros Energies has built a blimp hangar in Fremont, N.H. – halfway between Manchester and the Seacoast – to do R&D on their plan to use blimps as cheap cell towers in rural areas. The Union-Leader reports that they had their first test flight this week, and it went well (the story is here) but it raised a few eyebrows in town – including this prescient comment:
Safety wasn’t Beliveau’s only concern. She also fears someone could put a camera in the blimp to spy on people. “It’s a privacy concern. I don’t care if they tell me they didn’t put a camera in it, sooner or later it will happen,” she said.
I agree with her: No matter what they say, it will.
Return to the Concord Monitor
Okay so you’re afraid of a camera? Google already has your home on camera, and the satellites can already see you. This was developed up in Maine at the old Loring AFB. I live down in VA where believe it or not its hard to get internet. I’m walking north/west Virginia. I think this is an awesome concept and hope it flourishes.
Current link to the UL story is this one:
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/blimp-to-bring-broadband-to-rural-areas-receives-ok-for-fremont-research-facility/article_e714b8a9-c2af-5520-9caf-0083bacf9bac.html