Drones Charging in Air ⚡️🤯 Future Now?
Tech
🎧
PowerLight Technologies, a company with two decades of experience in laser-based power transmission, recently achieved a significant milestone. The firm tested its Free Space Power Beaming technology on a Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s long range electric K1000ULE drone. During the testing, the system successfully delivered power wirelessly to the drone while it remained airborne at an altitude of 5,000 feet. This development builds upon prior research, including a 2021 award to Dr. Ifana Mahbub for developing targeted electromagnetic wave technology for drones. DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) system, trialed in New Mexico in May 2025, demonstrated the potential of long-range wireless power delivery. These advancements suggest a future where drones can be charged remotely, without the need for landing.
WIRELESS POWER DELIVERY SYSTEMS – A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH
The future of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology hinges on the ability to sustain flight indefinitely. Currently, battery limitations restrict drone operation, necessitating frequent landings for recharging – a significant impediment in challenging environments or mission-critical scenarios. Several innovative approaches are emerging to address this limitation. One prominent strategy involves electromagnetic wave-based far-field wireless power transfer, initially explored by DARPA as far back as 2021. This initiative, funded with a US$750,000 grant to Dr. Ifana Mahbub from the University of Texas, focused on precisely directing electromagnetic waves toward airborne drones for line-of-sight charging. Simultaneously, another approach is gaining traction, spearheaded by companies like KinetixBeam, founded by Dr. Mahtub. KinetixBeam specializes in building long-range wireless power systems leveraging advanced phased arrays, reconfigurable metasurface lenses, and conformal rectenna technology – all designed to efficiently charge drones from a distance. This dual-pronged approach represents a significant advancement in the field, offering diverse pathways to achieving continuous drone power.
OPTICAL POWER BEAMING: ACHIEVING LONG-RANGE TRANSFERS
DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) system, tested in New Mexico in May 2025, exemplifies the potential of optical power beaming. This system successfully delivered 800 watts of power over a distance of 5.3 miles (8.6 km) utilizing a specialized transmitter and a receiver developed by Teravec Technologies. While the tests involved terrestrial equipment, the results shattered previous optical power transfer records, demonstrating the scalability of this technology. The POWER system’s success is a critical step towards integrating this capability directly into drone platforms. Furthermore, companies like PowerLight Technologies have been pioneering laser-based power transmission for two decades. In December of last year, PowerLight announced a successful demonstration of a power beaming system capable of delivering kilowatt-class power to a drone at an altitude of 5,000 ft. Their non-visible laser beam can transmit power “over kilometers,” highlighting the robustness and range of their technology.
POWERLIGHT’S COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM – A REAL-TIME SOLUTION
PowerLight Technologies has developed a sophisticated system designed for continuous drone recharging. Their portable transmitter can track and lock onto airborne UAVs, incorporating safety mechanisms and real-time control and monitoring technology. This allows the transmitter to be deployed to an optimal location, continually recharging a drone in flight. PowerLight’s recent trials utilized a 6-lb (2.7-kg) receiver mounted on a Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s K1000ULE drone – a model utilized by the US Navy and Army. The system converts power from a battery into a high-intensity, non-visible laser beam, which is then transmitted to the drone’s receiver. The receiver converts the light back into electrical power using a photovoltaic cell array. This integrated system promises to dramatically enhance drone capabilities across diverse applications, including defense support, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and even urban operations – effectively removing battery capacity as a limiting factor and unlocking the full potential of autonomous flight.
This article is AI-synthesized from public sources and may not reflect original reporting.