Overview
- In November 2025, a Cessna Caravan flying about 5,000 meters over Pennsylvania maintained alignment in 70-knot crosswinds and delivered a small, measurable charge to ground receivers.
- The system used a low-density, eye-safe near-infrared beam that conventional photovoltaic panels converted to electricity, avoiding bespoke microwave rectennas.
- Overview says the flight used the same laser, tracking and beam-combining architecture intended for space and validated moving-platform pointing and control.
- The company targets a low-Earth-orbit demonstrator later this decade and aspires to geosynchronous satellites delivering megawatts by 2030 and gigawatts later, subject to major technical, cost and regulatory hurdles.
- Recent precedents include DARPA’s 2025 laser test sending 800 watts over 8.6 kilometers between stationary platforms, underscoring progress in power-beaming research.