China comes up with an alternative use of lasers that involves remotely providing power to drones not knocking them out of the sky with it. Increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has prompted the use of DEWs or Directed Energy Weapons like energy beams for weapon against it.
China Considers Lasers as Support Systems
Development of technologies take a strange turn as Chinese scientists consider the most radical use of DEWs so far. Keeping them aloft for longer periods is a breakthrough in UAV technology, according to The Euraian Times.
The implications of the technology for military use allow more leeway on how to build drones, also use for civilians and in warfare as well. Instead of keeping a power source on the UAV which takes up space is revolutionized by wireless energy projection. Extra space on the aircraft will allow more developments.
One more advantage of hyper-extended endurance is more options and versatility for disaster control, traffic management, and search and rescue in all calamities to assist people, per Al Manar TV.
Drones Could Benefit from Beamed Energy
Sources say the technology was devised by Northwestern Polytechnical University Professor Li Xuelong thought of the alternative application for unmanned vehicles from an eccentric angle, mentions SCMP.
To achieve this goal by installing a solar panel that creates power from photonic light sources beaming light at it.
The NPU team stated that it has alleged to combine charging automatically using a smart signal transmission. Another tech to prove the use of DEWs is to power optics-driven drones (ODD).
One remark said the experiment was a success and proved the viability of the application of light beams for long-range energy replenishment for ODD.
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How track the autonomous aircraft in the air was done with an algorithm; with smart images that track the target in mid-air.
This solution via the algorithm deals with lighting up, scale, and rotation did well as claimed. The UAVs were precisely tracked too.
It is one of the important stages in development; such as how much power can be sent wirelessly. Laser energy is too obvious and needs to be less visible.
Chinese engineers developed a beam that can adapt by lessening or increasing intensity. They were able to design a DEW that is not too bothered by air turbulence and weather conditions.
It marks an improvement in the use of remote energy delivery with a protective algorithm. It prevents the DEWs from getting too hot when in line with the UAV.
But the exact details are a guarded secret as to how far and how much power it could supply.
One idea is that an OOD could reach the altitude of a skyscraper, with tests in indoor, daytime, and night flights that work well.
What makes the Chinese system different
Other countries like the UK tech firm QinetiQ use DEW to control UAVs but are not as advanced as energy transmission. It is called Free Space Optical Communications (FSOC).
Commands are sent a bi-directional link through ground control and a communication system. It arose as Russian jamming knocked out Ukrainian autonomous vehicles.
Chinese scientists are developing wireless tech capable of working with swarm controls. Few details of the NPU tech and if its line of sight is not revealed and other data.
China has come up with lasers that could power up drones to keep them aloft longer which is not reported in the west yet.
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