China's Xidian University beams 1,180W wirelessly to multiple moving targets
Drone receives 143 watts while flying at 30 km/h in ground test.
Led by senior engineer Duan Baoyan, the team at Xidian University in Xi'an developed a full-chain ground verification platform centered on a 75-meter tower. In tests, the system transmitted 1,180 watts of microwave power over ~100 meters, achieving a 20.8% overall wireless power transmission efficiency. The platform can beam energy to multiple moving targets simultaneously, a critical requirement for future orbital power stations that would need to power satellites, drones, or lunar infrastructure.
As a demonstration, the team wirelessly powered a drone flying at 30 km/h, with the drone receiving 143 watts from about 30 meters away. This marks a significant advance over previous proof-of-concept experiments (e.g., NASA's 1975 test achieved 54% efficiency but only under static, controlled conditions). The Chinese system's ability to track and energize moving targets brings the dream of space-based solar power—a clean energy source beamed from orbit—closer to reality.
- Transmitted 1,180W across ~100m with 20.8% overall efficiency using microwave beam control.
- Successfully powered a drone flying at 30 km/h, receiving 143W from 30m away.
- Built around a 75-meter tower at Xidian University as a full-chain ground verification platform.
Why It Matters
Wireless power beaming to moving targets is a critical step toward orbital solar stations that could deliver continuous clean energy.