DARPA has advanced the state of optical power beaming with a successful field demonstration that transmitted more than 800 watts of laser-generated power over a distance of 8.6 kilometers (5.3 miles). Conducted at the U.S. Army’s High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range, the test achieved over a megajoule of energy transfer during the campaign and surpassed previous public benchmarks for power beaming distance and sustained output.
The demonstration, part of DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program, relied on a newly developed receiver built by Teravec Technologies, with contributions from Packet Digital and the Rochester Institute of Technology. The receiver design incorporates a central aperture, a parabolic mirror, and an array of photovoltaic cells that convert the laser’s optical energy into electrical power. The system achieved more than 20% end-to-end efficiency at shorter distances, though efficiency was not the primary focus of the test. Instead, the team aimed to validate rapid design scalability and long-range performance under challenging atmospheric conditions.
The POWER team now plans to transition into Phase 2 of the program, which will explore the use of airborne or space-based relays and vertical transmission to further extend range and operational viability. DARPA will host an Industry Day on May 29, 2025, to engage new partners and foster teaming arrangements for upcoming research solicitations. “This demonstration broke through misconceptions about the limits of power beaming technology, and it is already spurring industry to reimagine what’s possible,” said POWER Program Manager Paul Jaffe.
- Achieved 800W laser power transmission over 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
- Transferred over 1 megajoule of energy during the field test
- Receiver built by Teravec Technologies with optical-to-electrical conversion using solar cells
- System demonstrated >20% efficiency at shorter ranges
- Phase 2 to explore relays and vertical transmission
- DARPA Industry Day scheduled for May 29, 2025
“It is beyond a doubt that we absolutely obliterated all previously reported optical power beaming demonstrations for power and distance.” — Paul Jaffe, DARPA
