A California-based company has come up with a unique power system that could potentially let drones stay in the air for as long as needed.
The capability comes from Reach Power’s Persistent Overwatch Wireless Energy Recharging (POWER) system, which beams targeted radio frequency (RF) energy directly to drones during flight.
It enables in-air charging through a power beaming system device, removing the need for aircraft to land, swap batteries, or return to resupply facilities.
Reach demonstrated the technology at the Pentagon-sponsored Joint Interoperability Field Experimentation showcase, where it achieved what the company described as “perpetual flight.”
The system builds on earlier work supported by the US Department of Defense’s Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund, which helped advance the tech toward operational readiness.
Working With the Military
Reach submitted POWER to the xTechSearch 9 competition, emerging as one of 24 winners from more than 800 participants.
The company completed all phases of the competition, from the initial white paper review to live presentations in front of US Army and Department of Defense officials.
Aside from prize money, Reach also earned an invitation to an army innovation program.
With a Phase I contract underway, the company will develop a Concept of Operations based on army mission requirements, working directly with soldiers to refine the system for field use.
“Winning xTechSearch 9 is a strong validation that persistent power is one of the most critical gaps in autonomy today,” Reach CEO Chris Davlantes said.
“We’ve already demonstrated that wireless power can extend drone operations by an order of magnitude in real-world environments.”
