Showcases the potential for “dual-use” DE Class Weapons Systems that provide DoD unique new operational flexibility for energy distribution, improved return on investment. Demonstration conducted as part of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s Safe and Continuous Power Beaming Optical (SCOPE-O) initiative
July, 2022, Kent, WA – PowerLight Technologies, the leading developer of safe, long-distance wireless power beaming solutions for kilowatt class power levels over kilometers of distance, today announced the world’s first demonstration of capturing and converting energy from a DE Class weapons system, in conjunction with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Safe and Continuous Power Beaming Optical (SCOPE-O) initiative. The demonstration validates PowerLight’s unique expertise designing safe, commercially viable optical beaming system receivers; and showcases how the DoD could potentially leverage “dual-use” DE Weapon platforms to distribute operational energy across the battlefield when not performing their primary Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) missions.
This SCOPE-O demonstration leveraged a direct-energy laser class weapon to transmit power to a remote location. Analogous to wireless communication, it aims to deliver power to almost any location without having to run wires, transmitting significant power over significant distances.
“PowerLight is working closely with multiple government entities to create next-generation systems that will deliver efficient, low-cost and ubiquitous power– untethered by infrastructure or geographical restraints and the prohibitions that come with it. Doing such affords a tremendous strategic advantage to U.S. forces, especially in contested logistic environments,” said Richard Gustafson, President and CEO of PowerLight.
Long-distance Power Beaming reliably distributes power to mobile networks, to broader digital infrastructure, and to the millions of IIoT, edge compute applications, and autonomous systems that will run on them. PowerLight is productizing and commercializing solutions for the global mobile telecoms market and continues to support and expand its business, innovating and delivering new long distance power beaming solutions for aerospace and defense markets.
PowerLight is the world leader in power beaming safety and has a number of patents on this front. PowerLight has developed advanced safety systems for both power beaming and power over fiber (PoF) that have been rigorously tested and approved by multiple governing agencies, enabling large-scale commercialization of the technology.
In 2021, PowerLight teamed with telecom giant Ericsson to demonstrate the world’s first wireless power beaming to a 5G base station to showcase the flexibility that power beaming can provide to the design and deployment of wireless telecommunications networks. The demonstration involved wirelessly distributing power to Ericsson’s Streetmacro 6701, a 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) radio base. PowerLight’s wireless power beaming technology transmitted hundreds of watts over hundreds of meters, to power the 5G radio.
About PowerLight
PowerLight Technologies is the leading developer of safe, long-distance laser power beaming solutions to transmit kilowatt-level power remotely, making energy accessible to new and increasingly mobile distributed digital assets on and off planet Earth. Laser power beaming delivers energy to digital infrastructure, enabling digital work to be done when and where it is needed, including in hard-to-reach places, with or without human access, and without the tether to today’s battery- and power-cord power distribution environment. PowerLight is ramping developments with commercial partners for Power over Fiber and for powering remote sites in free space. PowerLight maintains headquarters in Kent, Washington, USA.
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