A team of researchers from Northwest China decided to optimize the process of charging drones as much as possible and developed high-energy laser beams that will allow drones to stay in the air "permanently".
Most countries focus on developing anti-drone systems, but Professor Li Xuelong and his colleagues from Northwestern Polytechnic University decided to approach the issue from a different angle.
They believe that a drone equipped with a photovoltaic conversion module will be able to convert light energy into electricity, and high-energy laser beams will be able not only to track the laser but also to power it remotely.
The university's School of Artificial Intelligence, Optics, and Electronics team noted that the previous experiment successfully combined the charging process with smart signal transmission and processing technology, which shows infinite potential for optical drones.
"The highlights of the research are the round-the-clock smart vision tracking system and long-distance autonomous energy replenishment for ODDs," the team announced on the official WeChat account of the Polytechnic University last week.
To enable charging the device over a longer distance, Li and his team had to reduce the attenuation of a conventional laser beam in the atmosphere. So they decided to create an adaptive technology that shapes the beams to adapt their intensity autonomously.
A protection algorithm was also added to the system, which automatically adjusts the laser power to a safe range after detecting an obstacle in the beam path.
The team did not disclose details about the system's range and photovoltaic conversion efficiency due to the sensitivity of the technology, which has potential military applications.
"In time-consuming missions, such as searching for tourists trapped in flash floods, continuous drone flight will save rescuers precious time. ODDs are expected to take an active role in social governance, such as traffic control, security patrols, disaster rescue, and contactless logistics," the report said.
