PowerLight Technologies was recently featured in GeekWire in an in-depth look at our latest breakthrough: the successful demonstration of kilowatt-class wireless power beaming to a military-grade drone in flight.
The article, “PowerLight’s laser power beaming system keeps a drone in the air for hours during Pentagon test flights,” highlights a series of demonstrations conducted this month at the Poinsett Electronic Combat Range at Shaw Air Force Base. In partnership with Kraus Hamdani Aerospace and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, our system proved its ability to keep a fixed-wing K1000ULE drone airborne for hours without the need to land for refueling or battery swaps.
Turning Science Fiction into Mission Reality
For years, the concept of “infinite flight” through wireless energy has been a cornerstone of aerospace ambition. This test moves us from theory to operational reality. During the demonstrations:
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Precision Tracking: Our system acquired and tracked the drone at altitudes up to 5,000 feet.
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Real-Time Delivery: We delivered kilowatt-class power via a focused infrared laser beam, steering it dynamically as the aircraft maneuvered.
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Safety & Autonomy: The entire end-to-end operation—from target acquisition to safety management—was fully autonomous.
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A New Era of Logistics
As our CEO, Tim Jenks, noted in the piece, this isn’t just about longer flight times; it’s about a fundamental shift in how we power technology at the edge. By eliminating the need to land for power, we remove the “vulnerability window” that occurs during battery swaps or refueling in forward-deployed environments.
Beyond powering friendly platforms, the same core architecture, comprised of precision target acquisition and real-time beam control, lays a direct foundation for directed-energy counter-UAS strategies.
What’s Next?
While these tests focused on defense applications, the roadmap for PowerLight’s technology remains broad. From powering 5G base stations with Ericsson to our ongoing work with Blue Origin to design lunar power systems, we are committed to “cutting the final cord” across air, space, and land.
We want to thank our partners at Kraus Hamdani Aerospace and the Pentagon’s Operational Energy team for their collaboration on this historic milestone.
Read the full story on GeekWire: PowerLight’s laser power beaming system keeps a drone in the air for hours during Pentagon test flights