The new “crazy” system that charges drones from the ground
A new technology shoots laser beams from the ground at drones to carry them into the air – thus unlocking the possibility of “infinite flight”.
PowerLight Technologies presented the new system, which powers drones in flight, from the groundby pairing a transmitter on the ground with a receiver on the drone, also known as an unmanned aerial system (UAS).
As the company explains, in , the transmitter combines advanced software, designed to provide precise control of the laser beam, with hardware that can sustain energy transmission on a kilowatt scale — or thousands of watts —, according to the company. For comparison, typical laboratory lasers operate on the scale of milliwatts, or thousandths of a watt.
PowerLight say the transmitter can operate at high altitudes up to 1,500 meters.
To compare, the operational altitude of the Raven RQ-11B — a hand-launched intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone developed for the U.S. Military — is between 46 and 305 meters above ground level, and 3,200 meters above sea level. Larger drones can reach altitudes as high as 18,288 m.
“Infinite flight”
As explained, the receiver incorporated into the drone itself captures laser energy from the transmitter on the ground and uses a laser energy converter to transform it into energy for the battery.
Photovoltaic laser energy converters work in a similar way to solar cells, capturing light and transforming it into an electrical current.
The receiver also includes a built-in control module. This module continuously collects real-time telemetry about the drone’s position and operation and relays this information to operators on the ground.
The system was developed in conjunction with the US Department of Defense (DoD) and takes an important step towards “infinite flight” of drones is a reality.
