https://www.nrl.navy.mil/news/releases/researchers-transmit-energy-laser-power-beaming-demonstration

It was a long-range, free-space power beaming system - the first of its kind. Attendees that day, May 23, could see the system itself—the two 13-foot-high towers, one a 2-kilowatt laser transmitter, the other a receiver of specially designed photovoltaics. But the important part, the laser that was beaming 400 watts of power across 325 meters, from the transmitter to the receiver, was invisible to the naked eye.

20% efficiency instead of 99% wired for such a short distance. 1600 wasted watts of generator power and fuel that needs to be transported to the battlefield at a high energy cost. Only the military would think this is historic.

 

You gotta' love the SFN* crowd.

*Something For Nothing

 

Power beaming ? I thought it related to strong smiling when i saw the title.
Wow, a laser beam that sends power over 300mtrs. Isn't that wonderful. Now how far would it reach during a storm or if a barrier is in the way. Could someone use a mirror to redirect the power(steal it) for them selves.
What happens to anything getting in the path of this beam(someone say KFC). Surely its cheaper and more efficient to just run a power cable 300mtrs.

 

I'm skeptical too and feel that it often appears our military is more interested in impressing the public than making efficient weapons. Fortunately, we haven't forgotten the practical side completely. We used armored bulldozers, not lasers to defeat Saddam Hussein in the first Persian gulf war.