US Army: laser to enable UAVs to fly indefinitely
The US military is developing a ground-based laser which can charge drones as they fly and potentially help them stay perpetually in flight, Feilidh Dwyer report in WeTalkUAV. According to New Scientist, Army engineers working for the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center in Maryland are developing a laser which could fire beams from distances of up to 1600 feet (487 meters) in order to charge photovoltaic cells aboard small drones.
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| The photovoltaic cells convert the heat from the laser into electricity. (Illustration: WeTalkUAV ) |
