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Military researchers eye power-beaming technologies for laser-delivered on-demand power for the battlefield


PRAD seeks to demonstrate enabling technologies in power beaming, as part of the DARPA Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) project.

Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., issued a program solicitation (DARPA-PS-24-25) on Wednesday for the POWER Receiver Array Demonstration (PRAD). The receiving station is equipped with photovoltaic cells or similar devices that capture the laser energy and convert it back into electrical power. A ground-to-ground demonstration is crucial for proving the feasibility and effectiveness of optical laser power beaming technology -- particularly in validating the photovoltaic receiver array and its efficiency, DARPA researchers explain.

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