World-first: Japan developing drone system to make power from lightning strikes
Tests showed the cage had 98 percent coverage and withstood 150kA—five times stronger than typical natural lightning.
Japanese firms have developed the world’s first lightning-triggering and guidance system using flying drones, according to reports translated from Japanese sources.
Developed by The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), these drones have successfully induced and guided lightning using electric field fluctuations. Engineers designed a lightning-resistant cage to protect the drones during strikes.
Following successful trials earlier this year, there are plans to deploy networks of these drones across cities and around critical infrastructure to help prevent lightning-related damage and improve public safety.
“In the future, this result is expected to contribute to research into the generation of lightning, which has yet to be fully understood, and to the reduction of lightning damage to cities and people,” said the firm in a statement.
Guided lightning defense
A significant natural danger, lightning is thought to cause between $702 million to $1.4 billion (¥100 and ¥200 billion) in damage in Japan each year. The risk still exists despite current defenses, such as lightning protection for vital infrastructure like the communications facilities of NTT Group.
NTT is responding by developing its lightning protection technology with the goal of completely preventing lightning strikes on important infrastructure and metropolitan areas.