Laser-powered silent spy drone could stay in sky forever

London, July 18 (ANI): Military scientists successfully kept a silent spy drone in the air for 48 hours using a radical new laser power system.

The scientists from Lockheed Martin were able to wirelessly beam power to the drone to increase its flight time by 2,400 percent.

According to them, the system could eventually keep military spy drones in the sky forever.

The small, silent UAS is already in use by Special Operations Forces since 2006 to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

"We're pleased with the results of this test. Laser power holds real promise in extending the capabilities of Stalker," the Daily Mail quoted Tom Koonce, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Stalker program manager, as saying.

"A ground-to-air recharging system like this allows us to provide practically unlimited flight endurance to extend and expand the mission profiles that the Stalker vehicle can fulfil," he said.

The Stalker UAS was modified for the indoor flight test to incorporate the power beaming technology from LaserMotive.

It makes it possible to wirelessly transfer energy over long distances using laser light.

At the conclusion of the flight test, held in a wind tunnel, the battery on the Stalker UAS had more energy stored than it did at the beginning of the test.

The test was concluded only because the flight had already surpassed the initial endurance goals set by the team. (ANI)