TOM SHAW Robotics · Pilot programmes

In-flight drone charging by laser, for Australia and New Zealand

Drones that keep flying instead of landing for a battery change. TOM SHAW is working with technology partners to bring laser power beaming for drones to Australia and New Zealand, through pilot programmes and evaluations.

What is in-flight drone charging?

In-flight drone charging keeps a drone supplied with power while it is in the air, so it does not have to land to swap or recharge its battery. The approach TOM SHAW is bringing to Australia and New Zealand uses laser power beaming: a transmitter on the ground sends power to the drone as a narrow beam of light, and a small receiver on the drone turns that light back into electricity.

Battery life is the main limit on what a drone can do. Every landing for a battery change is a gap in coverage and a job for someone on site. Charging in flight is aimed at closing those gaps for operations that need a drone in the air for long periods over the same area.

Where it stands. Laser power beaming for drones is an emerging technology at prototype and pilot stage, not an off-the-shelf product. TOM SHAW is working with technology partners to evaluate it with organisations in Australia and New Zealand through pilot programmes.

How laser power beaming works

Wireless power for drones, in three parts.

A transmitter on the ground

The ground unit takes electrical power and turns it into a tightly directed beam of light, aimed up at the drone.

Tracking that follows the drone

A tracking system follows the drone as it moves and keeps the beam pointed at its receiver.

A receiver on the drone

A small optical receiver on the drone works much like a solar panel tuned to the beam: it turns the light back into electricity to power the drone.

The beam needs a clear line of sight between the transmitter and the drone. Anything that blocks it, such as a building, terrain or heavy weather, interrupts the power, so the layout of the site matters from the start.

What it could enable

Persistent aerial observation. A drone that stays over a perimeter, a facility or a fixed asset, rather than leaving to change batteries.
Fewer landings and battery swaps. Less handling of batteries, less downtime between flights and fewer site visits to keep a drone in service.
Freedom from a cable. Power without a physical tether, so the drone is not tied to one spot on the ground by a line.
Power for hard-to-reach sensors. The same idea can supply fixed sensors in places where running cable or servicing batteries is difficult.

Where it fits

Persistent operations in controlled environments, where the ground transmitter can see the drone.

Security and defence

Aerial observation of perimeters, compounds, bases and critical assets, where continuous coverage matters more than flying long distances.

Industrial and energy

Inspection and monitoring of infrastructure such as plants, substations, pipelines, ports and mine sites, over a defined area.

Remote fixed sensors

Powering cameras and sensors in places where cabling is impractical or replacing batteries means a long trip.

How it compares with other ways to keep drones flying

There are several ways to extend drone flight time. Each makes a different trade-off.

Approach	How the drone gets power	Trade-offs
Battery swaps	The drone lands and a person swaps in a charged battery.	Simple and widely used, but every swap is a break in coverage and needs someone on site.
Docking stations (drone in a box)	The drone returns to a dock that recharges it or swaps its battery automatically.	No one needed on site for each swap, but the drone is out of the air while it charges unless several drones take turns.
Tethered drones	A cable from the ground carries power up to the drone.	Continuous power, but the cable limits how high and how far the drone can go, and the drone stays anchored to its ground station.
Laser in-flight charging	A beam of light from a ground transmitter powers a receiver on the drone while it flies.	No cable and no landing to recharge, but it needs a clear line of sight, is at prototype and pilot stage, and each site needs a safety and regulatory assessment.

For many jobs a battery swap or a dock is the right answer today. Laser charging is worth evaluating where a drone needs to stay up over one area for long periods and a tether would get in the way.

Pilot programmes in Australia and New Zealand

TOM SHAW is inviting organisations in Australia and New Zealand to take part in evaluations of in-flight laser charging. An evaluation is shaped around your site and your mission, and covers three things.

Site review

What the drone needs to do, where, and for how long; the line of sight available from the ground; and what could block the beam.

Integration planning

How the drone, transmitter and receiver fit your operation and the systems your team already uses, and how they are secured.

Controlled trial

A trial in a controlled setting, planned with an assessment of laser safety and of the aviation rules that apply at the site.

Security first: TOM SHAW is a cyber security company. A drone and ground system that send data and accept commands are part of your attack surface, so we plan how they connect, who can control them and where their data goes before anything flies. Industrial sites can pair this with Stealth Connect, our industrial IoT security platform.

In-flight drone charging: common questions

Can a drone be charged while it is flying?

Yes, in two main ways. A tethered drone gets power through a cable from the ground. Laser power beaming sends power through the air as a beam of light to a receiver on the drone, with no cable. Laser in-flight charging is at prototype and pilot stage.

What is power beaming?

Power beaming is a form of wireless power transfer that sends energy through the air as a focused beam, of light (laser) or of microwaves, to a receiver that turns it back into electricity. Laser power beaming for drones uses a ground transmitter, a tracking system and an optical receiver on the drone.

Does laser drone charging need line of sight?

Yes. The beam has to reach the drone's receiver directly, so there must be a clear line of sight between the ground transmitter and the drone. Buildings, terrain and heavy weather can block it, which is why every evaluation starts with a site review.

Is laser power beaming safe?

Any laser system has to be designed and operated with safety controls. TOM SHAW plans each pilot with an assessment of laser safety and of the aviation rules that apply at the site, and a trial goes ahead only once those have been worked through.

How is laser charging different from a tethered drone?

Both keep a drone powered in the air. A tethered drone is connected to the ground by a cable, which limits its height and movement. Laser charging has no cable, but needs a clear line of sight between the transmitter and the drone.

Is in-flight drone charging available in Australia and New Zealand?

Not as an off-the-shelf product. TOM SHAW is working with technology partners to bring laser in-flight charging to Australia and New Zealand through pilot programmes and evaluations. If you have a use case, register your interest and we will be in touch.

Register your interest

Tell us what your drones need to do, where they will fly and how long they need to stay in the air. We will talk you through whether a pilot programme suits your operation.

Or call 1800 845 211 or email info@tomshaw.com.