Image copyrightFacebookImage caption Facebook had been hoping to offering connectivity by sending data between a fleet of Drones Facebook is giving up on its plan to create drones that beam down internet connectivity, the company has confirmed.

Project Aquila, first announced in 2014, failed to achieve the long flight times managed by airborne connectivity efforts from rivals including Google.

On Tuesday the company said it would instead partner with firms such as Airbus to continue its efforts to connect more people to the internet.

The decision means the closure of a facility in Bridgwater, UK, that had been used to build the technology.

“It's been exciting to see leading companies in the aerospace industry start investing in this technology too - including the design and construction of new high-altitude aircraft,” wrote Yael Maguire, Facebook’s Director of Engineering, in a blog post .

The Project Aquila craft had the wingspan of a Boeing 737 and weighed the same as a typical family car.

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