Kraus Hamdani Aerospace Demonstrates Wireless Power Beaming for UAS at Shaw Air Force Base

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, in partnership with PowerLight Technologies, demonstrated wireless power beaming to the K1000ULE unmanned aircraft system during flight operations at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. The demonstration sustained airborne operations without interrupting mission coverage, including continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks as well as communications.

Hosted by the AFCENT Battle Lab and sponsored by U.S. Central Command and the Operational Energy Innovation Directorate, the event paired PowerLight Technologies' mobile autonomous power beaming system with the K1000ULE.

system autonomously acquired, tracked, and transmitted energy to the K1000ULE throughout its flight. The system maintained a laser-based energy link while adapting to aircraft movement and environmental conditions, allowing the aircraft to operate at altitude without recovery or ground intervention.

The K1000ULE was recently awarded a sole-source $270 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by the U.S. Air Force Central Command to support missions in the Middle East.

endurance has historically been limited by onboard fuel or battery capacity, requiring periodic returns that create operational gaps. Kraus Hamdani Aerospace previously achieved a 75-hour flight for a Group 2 unmanned aircraft system. The demonstration at Shaw Air Force Base built on that by delivering energy in-flight.

“The K1000ULE is delivering on its core design objective: endurance levels once considered out of reach for traditional fixed-wing aircraft," said Stefan Kraus, CTO and co-founder of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace. Integrating PowerLight Technologies' power beaming extends persistence and reduces the need to land, according to Stefan Kraus. This expands the K1000ULE's ability to maintain continuous coverage in operational environments where interruption is not acceptable, Stefan Kraus stated.”

The demonstrations validated the core system and established a roadmap for scaling, including higher power output, greater altitude and range, and sustaining multiple aircraft simultaneously across a theater, according to Tim Jenks, CEO of PowerLight Technologies.

The collaboration with U.S. Central Command, the AFCENT Battle Lab, and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace aims to move the capability from flight demonstration toward field evaluation and operational use, Tim Jenks added. The partnership demonstrates a model where onboard energy storage is no longer the primary factor limiting endurance, focusing on support for sustained operations in active theaters.