A group of researchers in China says they have developed a way to use high-energy laser beams not to destroy drones, but to keep them in the air “forever.”

Many countries, including China, are developing powerful laser anti-drone systems. But Professor Li Xuelong and colleagues at Northwestern Polytechnic University (NPU) approached the relationship between drones and lasers from a different angle.

They decided that if the drone was equipped with a photoelectric conversion module that converts light energy into electricity, a high-energy laser beam could not only track it but also remotely charge it.

The team said the experiment successfully combined the autonomous charging process with intelligent signal transmission and processing technology, demonstrating the unlimited endurance potential of optically driven drones (ODD).

“Highlights of the research are the 24-hour intelligent vision monitoring system and long-distance autonomous power supply for ODD.”the team reported.

The first task, according to the researchers, was to monitor the drones in the air. The team developed a smart visual effects-based tracking algorithm to track and accurately predict ODD targets during their flight.

The report said the algorithm has good robustness in illumination, scale and rotation, is stable in a variety of conditions, and ensures accurate positioning of drones.

To increase the distance of wireless energy transmission, Lee and his team needed to reduce the attenuation of the conventional laser beam in the atmosphere. According to them, their solution was adaptive beam-forming technology that could autonomously regulate its intensity.

The tuning means that the negative effects of air turbulence and density changes in the atmosphere can be reduced, increasing the efficiency and reliability of laser energy delivery over long distances.

The system also includes a protection algorithm that automatically adjusts the laser power to a safe range when an obstacle is detected in the beam path.

The team did not disclose details about the system’s range and photoelectric conversion efficiency due to the sensitivity of the technology, which could potentially be used for military purposes.

The research team said it conducted three field tests: an indoor test flight, an outdoor day flight, and an outdoor night flight. The drones worked successfully in all scenarios.