US military transmits power wirelessly using laser

The U.S. Department of Defense's DARPA successfully transmitted 800 watts of power wirelessly over 8.6 kilometers using a laser, breaking previous records. This achievement marks a significant step toward wireless power transmission. The POWER project, designed to create "wireless electricity highways," used a laser to power a receiver the size of a desk, demonstrating a 248% improvement over prior wireless energy transmission records. The experiment also involved popping popcorn with the transmitted energy. This technology aims to enable wireless power for drones, satellites, and potentially entire cities, with military applications being a primary focus. DARPA plans to transmit 10 kW over 200 kilometers by 2027, though challenges remain.