By Peter Weiss
A NASA-led engineering team announced on Oct. 9 that it has flown a lightweight, remote-controlled aircraft that receives power in flight from a ground-based laser. Theoretically, such a plane would never have to land for refueling. Such drones may someday serve as cheap alternatives to satellites for applications ranging from military surveillance to telecommunications (SN: 8/23/03, p. 125: Available to subscribers at High-flying wing destroyed in crash).
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The team, led by David M. Bushman of NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., built the drone from balsa wood, carbon-fiber-strengthened tubes, and colorful Mylar skin. Beneath the 1.5-meter wingspan, hangs a solar panel that’s wired to the vehicle’s electric motor.