A team from Xidian University has developed a car-mounted microwave wireless power system that kept fixed-wing drones airborne for up to 3.1 hours. The system uses GPS positioning, dynamic tracking, and onboard flight controls to maintain alignment between the emitter and drone during flight. The findings were published on March 25 in the peer-reviewed journal Aeronautical Science & Technology.
A team from Xidian University, known for its military technology research, published findings on March 25 in the peer-reviewed Chinese journal Aeronautical Science & Technology.
In tests, the car-mounted system kept fixed-wing drones in the air for up to 3.1 hours at an altitude of 15 metres (49 feet). Song Liwei, the project’s leader, wrote that the key challenge overcome was maintaining alignment between the emitter and the drone during flight. The researchers integrated GPS positioning, a dynamic tracking system and onboard flight controls into the system.
Some analysts have likened the concept to a “land-based aircraft carrier”, in which an armoured vehicle could function as a mobile command and energy node, launching and sustaining drones just as naval carriers support aircraft. They say such systems could extend the operational reach of ground forces, enabling persistent surveillance, airborne attacks and electronic warfare.
While the technology is still at an early stage, it may one day allow drones to fly indefinitely, according to the South China Morning Post report.