Powering Drones with Lasers for Infinite Flight Duration
Laser-Powered Drones: A Future in Sight
In a significant leap forward for drone technology, several research initiatives and startups are working towards a future where drones can stay airborne indefinitely, thanks to laser-powered energy systems.
The concept of laser-powered drones was first proposed by LakeDiamond, a startup, in 2018. They envisioned using lab-grown diamonds to recharge drones while they are in flight. Around the same time, DARPA announced the SUPER PBD program, aiming to test technology that charges aircraft while in flight using laser beams.
One of the key players in this field is PowerLight, a U.S.-based company. They demonstrated a wireless drone charging system in 2012, keeping a large drone airborne for 48 hours in a wind tunnel and powering a Lockheed Martin Stalker drone outdoors at a range of 1970 feet.
PowerLight's system involves a module that converts light energy into electricity, allowing the drone to capture power from a high-energy laser beam. The laser can adjust its beam intensity based on the distance from the power source and in instances where an object is detected between the laser beam and the drone. For added precision, the laser uses an "intelligent visual tracking algorithm" to follow the drone.
Chinese scientists have also been conducting research in this area, with studies demonstrating successful remote laser energy transmission to drones, enabling longer flight times without onboard fuel or heavy batteries. The benefits of this technology are numerous, making drones useful for disaster relief, traffic control, security patrols, and even high-altitude drone operations acting as small low-altitude satellites.
In addition to PowerLight, DARPA's SUPER PBD program, and LakeDiamond, researchers at Northwestern Polytechnical University have also developed a method for powering drones using lasers. So far, the NPU system has proven to be inefficient, losing about 50% of the energy transmitted from the laser.
One of the most promising test subjects for this technology is the Silent Falcon UAS, selected by DARPA for its laser tests. The technology has already been tested on a small quadcopter, reaching a height of about 33 feet in the air.
As these efforts continue, the future of drone technology looks set to soar, with unlimited flight times on the horizon.
