Drones could get power beamed to them from the ground Anadolu Agency/Getty

The US Army is taking wireless recharging to new heights, by using lasers to power small drones in mid-air.

Small flying vehicles with several rotating blades, known as multicopters or drones, have proven valuable to the military for intelligence gathering. But they are incredibly power-hungry, meaning their flying time is limited to half an hour or less.

Now the US Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center based in Maryland are developing a power beaming system with a combination of modern lasers and efficient photovoltaic cells.

The …