Laser Beams Could Power Military Drones at 5,000 Feet

At a glance

• Technology: A new laser power beaming system allows drones to recharge while in flight.
• Testing: The system successfully transmitted power to aircraft flying up to 5,000 feet.
• Innovation: The project aims to create a continuous energy network for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
• Future Plans: Integrated flight testing is set to begin in early 2026.

When drones run low on battery, they’ll either fly back or just drop out of the air. But a new technology might just allow the drones to recharge while in the air.

In a December 16 press release, Washington-based startup PowerLight Technologies announced it had completed preliminary testing for its end-to-end laser power beaming system for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, combines a high-power transmitter with a lightweight receiver to charge drones remotely.

“This is much more than point-to-point power transfer using a laser; we are building an intelligent mesh energy network capability,” PowerLight CTO Tom Nugent said in the release.

What are wireless flight schemes?

Installed onboard the aircraft is a receiver weighing roughly 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) that uses laser power converters to detect lasers and convert them into electricity. An additional control module helps establish communications with a ground station.

In the most recent tests, the system successfully transmitted lasers to aircraft flying up to 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), the company said. The components form a “wireless power line” that optically tracks the aircraft and transmits kilowatts of energy to the battery onboard, according to PowerLight.

“Our transmitter communicates with the UAS, tracks its velocity and vector, and delivers energy exactly where it’s needed,” Nugent said. “We have now successfully tested the power transmission and tracking algorithms, validating the core architecture needed for our upcoming flight demonstrations.”

How does power beaming technology work?

The new technology is a part of the Power TRansmitted Over Laser to UAS (PTROL-UAS) program, a Department of Defense initiative to establish such “power beaming” techniques for powering autonomous systems.

“A platform that doesn’t need to land to refuel or recharge is one that never blinks,” Fatema Hamdani, CEO of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, PowerLight’s partner for the project, said in the statement.

This isn’t the first time PowerLight has collaborated with the government. Last year, the startup joined Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin in designing a power beaming system for charging lunar rovers.

As for PTROL-UAS, with the latest tests, PowerLight will commence the first rounds of fully integrated flight testing in early 2026. These trials will demonstrate “infinite flight” capability, the company said.