The Future of Surveillance
October 30, 2010 No CommentsA company called LaserMotive set the world record for continuous flight by an unmanned vehicle this week near Seattle.
They did it by keeping a flying contraption in the air for more than 12 hours powered by a laser beam on the ground.
Pretty cool, right?
Check out this quote from an industry expert.
Indeed, this demonstration is a big deal for the future of electric planes, said Barry Smith, the executive director of the Future of Flight facility. Imagine putting a laser on top of every cellular tower, he said, so that certain types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would never need to land to recharge or refuel. That could potentially revolutionize communications, surveillance, and security and defense applications. Longer term, it could even impact the long-held dream of powering manned aircraft with electricity instead of jet fuel—though that is very far off.
Q: Where would drones powered by cellphone towers be used?
A: Your neighborhood.
