Raytheon has announced that it will develop DARPA’s wireless energy system for the US military, offering a wireless internet for energy.
The airborne, wireless energy system, called POWER, is designed to deliver energy into environments without a consistent energy supply, primarily for military usage.
Raytheon has accepted a $10 million USD DARPA contract for the project, using a fleet of high-altitude drones equipped with laser-based power receiving and transmitting capabilities, beaming energy up to high altitudes, relayed across ‘jumps’ to reach the target area such as a ground target or another drone.
With a fleet of drones, the system can create an energy web that could route energy around the globe, creating a network that can supply energy to where it is needed most. The final product will employ optical energy relays integrated onto existing platforms to enable long-distance transmission from a ground-sourced laser through multiple airborne nodes before transmitting back down to a ground receiver.
While designed for military usage, civilian usage is also seen as a potential use, with the potential to drive an energy revolution through a wireless distributed energy network.