LaserMotive Launches New Laser Power Over Fiber Technology

By Caroline Rees / 12 Feb 2013

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

LaserMotive’s Power over Fiber (PoF) technology

LaserMotive, an independent R&D company specializing in laser power beaming, today announced the MicroPoF, the first in LaserMotive’s new line of general-purpose Power over Fiber (PoF) products. The MicroPoF delivers power to electrical devices via laser light transmitted over fiber optic cable, without a traditional electrical connection.

LaserMotive’s free-space laser power beaming systems have set multiple records, delivering hundreds of watts of power over thousands of feet to mobile robots and UAVs. Now LaserMotive has applied its technology to Power over Fiber systems able to provide electric power anywhere from a few watts to hundreds of watts over a thin, non-conductive optical fiber up to 3,000 feet (900 m) long.

Power over Fiber can deliver power safely and without interference in the presence of high voltages, RF fields and electromagnetic pulses, or high magnetic fields, and is expected to find applications in laboratories, industrial and aerospace test environments, telecommunications, and medical systems such as in MRI machines. It can also provide a rugged, lighter weight alternative to copper wire for powering tethered ground or underwater robots, without the line-of-sight requirements of free-space laser power.

“This first LaserMotive Power over Fiber product marks an important milestone in delivering power via lasers for practical use,” said Tom Nugent, president and CEO of LaserMotive. “Being able to provide unlimited energy without electrical wires opens up applications previously impractical or simply impossible.”

The LaserMotive MicroPoF product features 10 watts DC power output, nominally 3.3 volts at 3 amps. The transmitter is a 3U rack mount unit which includes the laser and thermoelectric cooling system. The fist-sized receiver weighs less than 150 grams. The MicroPoF comes standard with a 33 foot (10 meter) connectorized fiber. Options include longer fiber length (up to 3000 ft. for MicroPoF) and integral DC-DC conversion to user-specified output voltages. LaserMotive can also supply a MicroPoF cable with an integral single-mode data fiber, and complete data link options including USB-II and Gigabit Ethernet.

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Enhancing USV Navigation with 3D Forward Looking Sonar Technology

FarSounder’s Argos series 3D Forward Looking Sonars enhance USV navigation by providing real-time underwater awareness, overcoming charting limitations, and improving safety across diverse maritime applications

Feb 18, 2025
Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Powered VTOL UAV Introduced

BlueBird Aero Systems introduces the WanderB-VTOL Mini-UAS, built for rapid deployment in any environment and powered by new PEW Fuel-Cell Technology

Feb 18, 2025
Product Spotlight: XPedite7770 High-Performance Single Board Computer

The XPedite7770 from Extreme Engineering Solutions delivers secure, high-performance computing for unmanned systems, featuring Intel® Xeon® D-1700 processors, advanced networking, and SOSA-aligned architecture

Feb 18, 2025
Loitering Munitions to be Integrated with Trillium Drone Camera Gimbals

Trillium Engineering has secured a Phase One contract with Raytheon to supply its HD25-LV drone camera gimbal for loitering munitions, supporting operations with tactical EO/IR solutions

Feb 18, 2025
European Drone Battery Maker Opens U.S. Operations

Tulip Tech, a European drone battery manufacturer, is expanding into the U.S. to meet rising demand, offering advanced, high-performance power solutions for drones

Feb 18, 2025
How to Use NTRIP RTK with ArduSimple Receivers

In this tutorial, learn how to use ArduSimple's simpleRTK receivers with Mission Planner and QGroundControl to send NTRIP RTK corrections to your autopilot for improved accuracy

Feb 18, 2025

Featured Content

Military Vehicles to Feature Small Tethered UAS from Elistair

Elistair has secured a €3 million contract to equip military vehicles with tethered UAS, enhancing real-time intelligence and operational awareness

Feb 13, 2025
Ellipse Series Enhanced with Latest Firmware Upgrade

The new firmware update from SBG Systems integrates the latest World Magnetic Model (WMM) to improve navigation precision, even for first-generation Ellipse sensors

Feb 11, 2025
Advanced FOG-Based Inertial Sensing Solutions for Drones & Robotics

Aegiverse's products feature a multi-layered architecture that combines multiple elements into a compact module, providing significant, size, weight and cost reductions

Feb 06, 2025