[dekhn]

Much of what you describe are pedestrian problems that could be addressed by straightforward, low-risk engineering. The issues with wifi reception around buildings were solved by AT&T when they developed the tech for mobile phones long ago. All the balloon control stuff- people have navigated balloons around the world for a while now. Using the altitude changes to navigate is standard.

That you need a team of NAVY SEALs to clean up your messes is a sign you're doing it wrong.

After working at Google for 12 years, I am always amazed at how people talk up their projects as risky when really, there's little or no risk involved, and the majority of the problems are political or social opposition to your plans, as well as the lack of a business model.

[allyourhorses]

Parent comment is classical old guard mentality Googler who thinks if something sounds big and impressive it automatically is big and impressive. It was a marketing trick that weirdly infected employees throughout the org, glad to see here the trick has all but completely lost its effect.