The United States’ Agency for promising defense research projects, darpa, has introduced a new program called Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (Power). The program aims to utilize lasers transmitted via air platforms to power machines located thousands of miles away. This initiative was recently announced on the darpa website [source].
One of the primary challenges faced by many advanced technologies is the requirement for a power source. This issue is particularly relevant for electric aircraft, as conventional batteries tend to be excessively bulky and heavy. Consequently, the weight and carrying capacity of these aircraft are significantly reduced, limiting their range of flight.
Wireless energy transmission has long been regarded as the ideal solution; however, fundamental laws of physics have hindered these plans. darpa is now exploring the possibility of employing lasers for energy transfer from a ground source to remote receivers. This technology could potentially provide electric aircraft with an almost limitless flight range.
The main technical challenge lies in the conversion of laser light into electricity at various stages of transmission. This conversion process leads to significant energy losses.
The Power program is currently in its initial stage, which involves the development of conceptual projects for the energy relay. The subsequent stage will focus on integrating the technology into existing air platforms, while the final stage will consist of testing the transmission of 10 kW of laser power over a distance of 200 km.
Dr. Paul Jaffe, the manager of the Power program at darpa, emphasized the potential impact of this project, stating, “This initiative has the potential to revolutionize our energy approach. A wireless energy network could provide access to new and diverse sources, including cosmic energy, and rapidly connect them with energy-deficient consumers.”