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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
Laser-Powered Drones
Coverage from National Defense, ZME Science, and others
Laser-powered drones use directed light to deliver energy to an aircraft without a physical charging connection.
Chinese researchers led by Jianhua Han developed a lightweight perovskite laser-cell and thermoelectric receiver that converted 38.49% of incoming green laser energy in laboratory tests and powered a stationary model’s propeller. Antimony-based nanomaterials and wing-integrated air channels helped control temperatures reaching 80–90°C. The subject also includes a separate in-flight power-beaming demonstration involving systems associated with the RQ-11 Raven, PowerLight Technologies, and AeroVironment. Moving-beam tracking, outdoor endurance, weather, vibration, and laser safety remain central engineering questions.
Looking Back
62 Day Timeline
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All Articles21 articles
Important
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace and PowerLight Technologies demonstrated laser power beaming for in-flight recharging of the K1000ULE drone under U.S. defense sponsorship.
6/18/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Interesting
Chinese researchers developed a laser-powered drone receiver in China that converted concentrated green laser light into electricity during stationary laboratory testing.
8/5/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at Chinese universities reported on July 29, 2026, that a drone-mounted PLC-TE receiver achieved 38.49% efficiency from green laser power in laboratory testing.
7/30/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers led by Jianhua Han developed a laser-powered drone receiver at the Civil Aviation University of China, with findings published July 29, 2026.
7/30/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China demonstrated in China a wing-mounted tandem device that powered a stationary drone with ground-directed green laser light.
8/18/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China and Tsinghua University developed a laser-based drone charging system in China, achieving 38.49% efficiency during stationary testing.
8/14/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China demonstrated a 38.49% efficient laser-energy receiver for drones during laboratory testing.
8/11/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers in China demonstrated in 2026 that a tandem perovskite-thermoelectric receiver could power a model drone propeller with green laser light.
8/6/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at two Chinese universities developed a perovskite laser-power receiver that drove a stationary drone propeller in laboratory testing in China.
8/4/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
In the 2020s, Jianhua Han and Civil Aviation University of China researchers developed a laser-powered drone prototype in China without completing flight testing.
8/2/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers demonstrated a wing-mounted laser receiver that powered a stationary drone propeller during controlled laboratory testing.
8/1/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China demonstrated a wing-integrated laser power system that operated drone propellers during controlled ground tests.
8/1/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China and Tsinghua University reported on July 29 a laser receiver powering a stationary drone propeller in laboratory tests.
7/31/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers from the Civil Aviation University of China developed a perovskite laser receiver that powered a stationary drone model during testing in China.
7/31/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China reported a laser-powered drone charging system on July 29, 2026, in Matter & Light.
7/30/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers published findings on July 29, 2026, in Matter & Light, describing a laser-powered receiver that could recharge drones during flight.
7/29/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers led by Jianhua Han in China reported a laser-powered drone receiver on July 29, 2026, after powering a stationary model with 38.49% efficiency.
7/29/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Additional
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China and Tsinghua University reported a laser-powered drone charging prototype in China on July 29, 2025.
7/29/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers led by Han Jianhua at the Civil Aviation University of China developed a wing-mounted receiver that powered a UAV propeller continuously using ground-based green laser beams.
8/11/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Researchers at the Civil Aviation University of China recently developed a thermally protected laser receiver for airborne drone charging in China.
8/9/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General
Chinese researchers demonstrated a laser-powered receiver on a model drone in China, reporting 38.49% energy conversion and plans for outdoor flight testing.
8/4/2026 • Drone Technology & Components • General