The helium filled balloons are equipped with solar panels and fly 12.5 miles above earth, transmitting internet to an area of 780 square miles below.
The balloons move with the wind, creating a network of mobile hot spots.
A special antenna is attached to buildings in order to connect to the balloons, which will beam out Internet speeds roughly equivalent of 3G. There are currently 30 balloons beaming to pilot homes across New Zealand.
With this technology, internet can be provided to developing areas without relying on traditional connection methods such as cabling.
While New Zealand is not by any means a developing country, it was initially tested following the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch as many people found themselves without access to the internet.
One of the first New Zealanders to test out the balloon internet connection was Charles Nimmo, a sheep farmer living on the South Island.
He used the 15 minutes of internet to find out if the weather was suitable for shaving sheep bums. He described balloon-powered internet as “weird” but “exciting”.
Image: Getty
