Harness Footage: Japan's Drone Innovation Utilizes Lightning as a Controlled Power Source
🌩️ Drones Striking Back: NTT's Innovative Lightning Protection Technology
Imagine drones not just capturing stunning aerial footage, but actually drawing lightning strikes! That's exactly what Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) is attempting with their cutting-edge technology. This groundbreaking innovation could revolutionize lightning protection, potentially minimizing damage to cities and infrastructure worldwide.
NTT's vision is to safeguard people and equipment from the harmful effects of lightning strikes using drones equipped with a Faraday cage. But it's not just about avoiding lightning—this tech also harnesses the energy, storing it for future use.
So, how does it work? Picture these drones flying near thunderclouds at high altitudes, sporting a conductive shield (Faraday cage). This shield protects the electronics within from lightning's wrath by safely channeling strikes away. During testing, the cage successfully withstood strikes up to 150 kiloamperes, a massive power surge compared to the usual lightning strike intensity.
The drone is connected to the ground via a conductive wire, forming a high-voltage field between it and the earth. When a thunderstorm approaches, an activator boosts this electric field significantly, making the area around the drone a lightning magnet. By strategically positioning the drone beneath the clouds, they can guide lightning strikes away from vital infrastructure, keeping us all safe.
Once the lightning strikes the drones' Faraday cage, it's game over for the lightning... but the drone remains operational, thanks to the protective design. The harnessed lightning energy can then be stored using compressed air and other charging methods for later use.
This technology could offer significant benefits, particularly for infrastructure companies such as telecommunications and electric power providers, as well as government agencies and local governments, by shielding their facilities from the perils of lightning strikes.
Intrigued? Here's the lowdown on this tech's key components and operational process:
- Faraday Cage Protection: A conductive shield, designed to look like a typical commercial drone, encases the electronics. This cage safely directs lightning strikes away from the sensitive components.
- Conductive Wire and Ground Connection: A conductive wire tethers the drone to the ground, forming a high-voltage field. When a thunderstorm approaches, the activator generates a voltage greater than 2,000 volts, enticing a lightning strike.
- Triggering Lightning Strikes: The heightened electric field around the drone invites nearby lightning to discharge, allowing the team to steer strikes away from critical infrastructure.
The operational process goes like this: storm detection instruments (like field mills) detect incoming storms, which triggers the drone's deployment and voltage activation. Once the electric field is right, the switch is flipped, allowing lightning to strike the Faraday cage. Despite the impact, the drone stays functional, thanks to its protective design.
This technology holds promise not only for mitigating the economic losses from lightning strikes (an estimated ¥100 billion to ¥200 billion annually in Japan) but also for harnessing energy from the strikes. By successfully triggering and surviving lightning strikes, NTT's technology offers a novel approach to lightning management and could unlock new energy sources in the future. 🌩️🔥⚡️🚁
- This revolutionary UAV technology developed by NTT, popularly known as 'Drones Striking Back,' not only enables drones to withstand lightning strikes but also leverages the energy for future use, potentially transforming worldwide infrastructure protection and even generating new sources of energy.
- Harnessing the power of science and technology, NTT's UAV, equipped with a Faraday cage for protection, could potentially provide safety to people and equipment from the harmful effects of lightning strikes across the world.
- Encouraged by the success of harnessing lightning energy using a UAV with Faraday cage protection, NTT's innovative technology may significantly benefit infrastructure industries such as telecommunications, electric power providers, governments, and local governments, by safeguarding vital facilities from the perils of lightning strikes and providing a means to utilize the stored energy.
