Opinion
Laser energy: From the military domain to the core of civilian innovation
Recent developments in laser technology are enabling civilian applications that were previously out of reach, such as electrical infrastructure, drones, and the Internet of Things. Innovative Israeli technologies could play a decisive role in the laser revolution.
For most people, the word “laser” immediately brings to mind military contexts or science fiction. In reality, laser technology is on the verge of a major transformation - becoming an everyday tool that drives entire industries: from advanced medicine and precision manufacturing, through communications and energy, to innovative solutions that directly affect our daily lives.
A recent groundbreaking experiment conducted by NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) illustrates the scale of change underway in laser technology. For the first time, wireless energy transfer using a laser was demonstrated over a distance of one kilometer, achieving a world-record efficiency of 15%. This is not only an engineering milestone but a historic achievement, as it demonstrates that a technology long considered impractical outside the laboratory can indeed function in real-world conditions.
The historical significance of this achievement lies not only in the numbers, but in overcoming the field’s central challenge. For decades, the loss of beam uniformity over distance, coupled with the difficulty of stably converting it into electricity, has been the primary bottleneck in optical energy transmission. The combination of advanced beam design technologies that maintain a uniform profile over long-distance propagation and receiving systems, homogenization, and current stabilization has, for the first time, made it possible to deliver stable, continuous, and efficient power in an open and uncontrolled environment.
This marks a turning point: from proving a scientific principle to demonstrating practical feasibility at the infrastructure level. In other words, the question is no longer whether it is possible, but how it can be integrated into civilian systems.
In the civilian world, the implications of laser energy transfer are far-reaching. Wireless energy delivery makes it possible to rethink infrastructure: disaster zones where the power grid has collapsed, islands and remote areas, temporary infrastructure, mobile platforms, and even future space-based systems. Thanks to its high directionality, laser technology enables energy to be delivered precisely where it is needed, when it is needed, without costly deployment or significant environmental impact.
These new laser technologies do not function as standalone products, but rather as a new infrastructure component that can be integrated with artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, smart sensors, robotics, and advanced communication platforms. The key question is not only how to deliver energy, but how to manage, route, and secure it as part of a broader intelligent system.
Future civilian applications are clear: drones and aerial platforms that can operate for extended periods without landing; battery-free and maintenance-free IoT sensors; construction sites and emergency scenarios where energy can be “beamed” on demand; and, later, a civilian space economy based on the precise delivery of energy to satellites and research platforms. These are not military scenarios, but the building blocks of a smart civilian infrastructure.
Recent advances in laser energy make it clear that this is no longer a futuristic idea, but a deep technology entering a new phase. Israel, which specializes in both laser technologies and the adaptation of military applications for civilian use, is well positioned to play a pivotal role in bridging global breakthroughs with local civilian innovation—and in turning wireless energy into a foundational element of the next digital economy.
Noa Asher is CEO of NTT Israel.
