DARPA’s Power program has set new records in its goal to build transmission lines of light, using laser beams to carry power and send data through the air.
To achieve the record, new receiver technology was used in conjunction with a compact aperture for the laser beam to shine into, ensuring that little light escapes one it has entered the receiver. Internally, the laser strikes a parabolic mirror that reflects the beam onto dozens of ‘solar cells’ to convert the energy back to usable power.
For the tests, both the transmitter and receiver were placed on the ground, which required the beam to go through the thickest part of the atmosphere.
The technology is scalable to higher power levels and can be integrated into different platforms, including drones and UAVs, to support the long-term needs of the Power program.