This Drone can fly forever without a battery.
One of the biggest limitations to drone advancements is battery life. If we want a remote-controlled drone to fly longer and farther, we need to give it a bigger battery. But that also makes it heavier and reduces the drone's flight time. This is a bit like the chicken-and-egg conundrum of which came first. The only solution to this is a drone that is powered by a source unlike any other. Finally, a researcher has solved the problem of using wireless power that can provide an endless flight time for a drone.
Dr. Samer Aldhaher, of Imperial College London, appears to have solved the problem of drone power supply once and for all, by creating a lightweight, battery-free drone that hovers in place. This unmanned, remote-controlled aircraft is powered only by the wireless power transmitter underneath it. Dr. Aldhaher's prototype solves the problem of having a battery on a drone and is another great step towards eliminating batteries altogether.
Wireless power technology for drones is still in its infancy, so don't expect this quadcopter to fly across the country without using any batteries. In this tech demo, the drone can and does fly about five inches above its wireless power base, making small left and right movements.
For such a technology to work over long distances, extensive infrastructure will be needed. While many believe this technology is the future of technology, it is still in its early stages.
