In a report in the Straits Times, 14 October 2003, the military
application for such a Laser Powered Plane holds tremendous
potential.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/techscience/story/0,4386,214515,00.html?
Laser
plane
THIS aircraft keeps getting hit by a laser beam fired from the
ground. But rather than bringing it down, the beam actually keeps
the plane flying.
The prototype plane - with a wingspan of 1.5m and weighing just
300g - has been making successful test flights at the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (Nasa) Dryden Flight
Research Centre in California, the New Scientist reports.
It uses photovoltaic cells to convert the energy from the laser
beam into electricity to power a propeller.
The plane is the first to be powered solely by laser energy,
although it has so far been test-flown only in a hangar.
Nasa is experimenting with the revolutionary new plane, with an eye
to developing aircraft that can remain in flight at high altitude
for indefinite periods.
'The aircraft could be used for everything from relaying cellphone
calls to cable television or Internet connections,' says Mr David
Bushman, project manager for beamed power at the Dryden
centre.
It could also be used for remote sensing of the earth's surface or
to monitor the atmosphere, not to mention possible military
applications.
Such a plane has advantages over other long-duration, high-altitude
aircraft, such as balloons and solar-powered planes.
It is light and does not need to carry the heavy batteries that
solar-powered craft need to stay up at night. It is also easier to
hold over one location than a balloon.
The researchers' next step will be to create bigger craft and see
if they can keep aloft.