Researchers build a wirelessly powered drone that can fly forever
Now drones never need to "sleep" again.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Researchers build a wirelessly powered drone that can fly forever', 311 Institute, 26 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/researchers-build-a-wirelessly-powered-drone-that-can-fly-forever/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Quadcopter drones are great for all kind of things from filming to delivering small, sometimes dubious, packages but every drone, irrespective of whether it's a hobbyists DJI drone or a US military MQ-9 Reaper, is limited by its battery life. There are all kinds of potential solutions to this problem that range from fuel cell powered drones to charging nests on streetlights and and rooftops, like those proposed by Amazon.
In a world where wireless power continues to make great advances it makes sense that one day drone makers would find a way to harness it. And that's just what a team based at Imperial College in London has managed to do, albeit on a small scale, for now, and conceivably there's no reason why wirelessly powered drones couldn't fly forever, or at least until their rotors gave out.
The drone was developed by Dr. Sam Aldhaher who's explained his work in an academic paper. In Aldhahers experiment the battery in his small quadcopter drone has been replaced with a coil of copper foil tape which acts as a receiver for the electromagnetic waves that are being put out by the charging plate that the drone is flying over, the concept isn't all too disimilar to the set up that mobile phone manufacturers and gadget enthusiasts use to power their smart phones, except for the fact that in this set up the drone, as you can see from the video below, is flying.
It's a cool trick but not entirely practical, after all wireless power only works reliably over very small distances, but that range is gradually improving with new systems coming out that can wirelessly charge devices from over 15 feet away. So until the point when wireless power gets much, much better it looks like this little flying demonstration will be restricted to the lab, or to your desk. One day though that drone that's spying on you won't need to go off to recharge its batteries, or sleep, and then, finally we'll all welcome in the 247 surveillance society, but then to offset that at least we can combine that with 247 drone donut deliveries. Life's not all bad...
What this means for your organisation
Battery life sets every drone's limit.
Every drone, from hobby models to military aircraft, is bound by its battery. Powering flight from the ground removes that constraint. Operators needing persistent coverage should track this closely.
Range is the blocker.
Wireless power works reliably only over very short distances. That confines the demonstration to a bench or a desk. Watch transmission range as the key figure to improve.
Infrastructure is the alternative.
Charging nests on rooftops and streetlights solve the same problem differently. Fuel cells offer another route. Compare approaches before committing to any drone programme.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where would unlimited drone flight time change our operations?
- How far must wireless power reach to be useful to us?
- Would charging infrastructure solve our problem sooner?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Now drones never need to "sleep" again.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on earth and energy and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- Stamp.jsp ieeexplore.ieee.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 26 September 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Researchers build a wirelessly powered drone that can fly forever. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/researchers-build-a-wirelessly-powered-drone-that-can-fly-forever/
You are welcome to quote this article with credit and a link to the original.