Laser-Based Power Beaming Technologies for Enhanced sUAS Endurance

Introducing a laser power conversion system to sUAS applications can vastly improve the flight endurance and mission capabilities for many of the sUAS currently in use (commercially and for military). The development of novel sUAS-borne photovoltaic receiver payloads, and ground-based laser power beam transmission optical systems are described. The systems development effort is detailed on a per-subsystem basis, providing modeling and experimental results pertaining to: optical power conversion efficiencies (to electrical power), transmitter design and modeling, and beam steering and tracking requirements and modeling.