Wireless Power Transmission: Applications and Technology Status

The opportunity for the application of Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) technologies is growing. Applications covering terrestrial, airborne and space missions are evolving. Concepts for terrestrial systems for powering remotely located regions by the use of renewable energy sources; airborne systems used for remote observation, communication relay, and environmental monitoring; and space based systems for potentially powering the elements of a space infrastructure are being developed.

This paper will present the history of wireless power transmission systems and summarize current and future applications and technology. Design constraints for terrestrial systems, airborne platforms and space systems will be presented.