Aerostat lasers for power beaming and communication (Technion)
- Summary
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have limited flight endurance and also limited communications capabilities. Flight duration (or endurance) is presently bounded by the limited available energy storage (fuel or batteries) on the UAVs. Communication speeds are limited by the RF links now on UAVs, having carrier waves that are slower by three orders of magnitude compared to fiber optics. As UAVs become more and more commonplace, the need grows for additional power, longer flight times and faster communication with other ground or aerial platforms, stationary or mobile, free flying (non-tethered) or tethered.The presented invention is comprised primarily of an aerostat that is tethered to the ground and a high power laser source for Power Beaming that is positioned on the aerostat. Laser communications will be provided by an optical fiber going from the ground to the tethered aerostat. The high power laser used for Power Beaming can be positioned either directly on the tethered aerostat or on the ground, or the laser optical pump source could be placed on the ground with the laser power amplifier mounted on the aerostat. If the complete laser is placed on the ground then the laser beam for power beaming will be propagated to the aerostat by a controllable, close-to-straight-line sleeve with a controlled atmosphere (most likely pressurized helium), and of a diameter that is appropriately larger than the diameter of the laser beam propagated through this sleeve. Alternatively, a bundle of fibers, each capable of transmitting a moderate level of optical power (IR light), will be used for optical pumping and seeding of the laser amplifier on board the aerostat.
- Technology Benefits
- • Significant extension of endurance and flight times of UAVs
• Ultra-fast free-space communications links from the ground to UAVs, and between UAVs
- Technology Application
- • UAVs with near limitless flight endurance
• Free space ultra-high-speed optical communication with free-flying UAVs and other widely separated air or ground nodes
• Civilian and military surveillance, with air and ground traffic control and similar applications
• Weather or environmental monitoring
• Early wild fire detection and suppression assistance
- ID No.
- COM-1490
- Country/Region
- Israel
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