Demonstration with PowerLight Technologies Sustains K1000ULE in Flight While Maintaining Continuous ISR Operations and Communications

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraus Hamdani Aerospace (KHA), in partnership with PowerLight Technologies, demonstrated wireless power beaming to the K1000ULE during flight operations at Shaw Air Force Base, sustaining airborne operations without interrupting mission coverage.

Hosted by the AFCENT Battle Lab and sponsored by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Operational Energy Innovation Directorate (OE-I), the demonstration paired PowerLight's mobile autonomous power beaming system with the K1000ULE, a DoD Blue UAS Cleared List and Select Group 2 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). During the flight, the laser-based system delivered nearly one kilowatt of power to the K1000ULE at altitudes up to 5,000 feet, maintaining Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and communications in real-time.

The K1000ULE was recently awarded a sole-source $270 million IDIQ by the U.S. Air Force Central Command to support missions in the Middle East. This further establishes the K1000ULE's capability as an operationally relevant group-2 long-endurance/long-range platform in modern theater.

For most aircraft, endurance has historically been constrained by onboard fuel or battery capacity, forcing those aircraft to periodically leave station creating operational gaps. Kraus Hamdani Aerospace has already demonstrated industry-leading performance, achieving a 75-hour world-record flight for a Group 2 UAS. Building on that foundation, the Shaw demonstration validates a new operational capability where energy can be delivered in-flight. This unlocks the potential for multi-month continuous operations in forward and infrastructure-limited environments.

OECIF's sponsorship and early vision for the technology played a major role in the successful flight at Shaw. RuthAnne Darling of the Innovation Directorate, Operational Energy Capabilities Improvement Fund (OECIF), Department of War, said, "OECIF recognized the warfighter value of laser power technology before everyone else and stood by it as the first and primary investor, beginning nearly a decade ago. Developing technologies such as this not only benefits the warfighter, but it enables new industries inside the Defense industrial base and creates commercial opportunities. We expect high-energy laser power beaming to continue to advance, and serve as a stepping stone to what will eventually become Golden Dome," added Darling. She observed the monumental flight as a step toward perpetual flight and the ability to "Never Land" the K1000ULE.

PowerLight's system autonomously acquired, tracked, and transmitted energy to the K1000ULE throughout its flight. The system maintained the laser-based energy link while adapting to aircraft movement and environmental conditions, allowing the aircraft to continue operating at altitude without recovery or ground intervention.

"The K1000ULE is delivering on its core design objective: endurance levels once considered out of reach for traditional fixed-wing aircraft," said Stefan Kraus, CTO and co-founder of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace.

"Integrating PowerLight's power beaming capability extends that persistence further and reduces the need to land," Kraus said. "That expands the K1000ULE's ability to maintain continuous coverage in operational environments where interruption is not acceptable."

The demonstration reflects Kraus Hamdani Aerospace's established leadership in extended-endurance UAS designed for defense and national security missions that require persistent ISR, resilient communications, and reduced logistical burden. The K1000ULE continues its mission to be the longest endurance group 2 UAS that can remain on station longer, reduce sortie interruptions, limit reliance on vulnerable resupply chains, and maintain coverage during critical mission windows.

"The Shaw demonstrations validated the core system and established a roadmap for scaling this capability from a single transmitter to a distributed network," said Tim Jenks, CEO of PowerLight Technologies. "That includes higher power output, greater altitude and range, and the ability to sustain multiple aircraft simultaneously across a theater."

Jenks added that the work with CENTCOM, the AFCENT Battle Lab, and Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is aimed at moving the capability from flight demonstration toward field evaluation and operational use.

The collaboration between Kraus Hamdani Aerospace and PowerLight Technologies demonstrates an operational model in which onboard energy storage is no longer the primary factor limiting endurance. Demonstrations at Shaw Air Force Base, hosted by the AFCENT Battle Lab, focused on how that model can support sustained operations in active theaters.

About Operational Energy — Innovation Directorate, Department of War
The Operational Energy – Innovation (OE-I) Directorate operates in collaboration with the Services and Combatant Commands, seeding joint innovation efforts. Under the auspices of OUSW, OE-I provides policy and oversight for innovation and program management. OE-I leverages — not replicates — existing infrastructure and organization, developing joint and interoperable technologies.

About Kraus Hamdani Aerospace
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace builds AI-enabled unmanned aerial systems for defense and other mission-critical applications. The company has supported customers including the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, MARSOC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and commercial Oil & Gas operators. Founded in 2016, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is headquartered in Emeryville, California.

About PowerLight Technologies
PowerLight Technologies develops wireless power beaming systems for unmanned aircraft and other mission-critical applications. Its systems are designed to deliver kilowatt-class power and optical communications over long distances, enabling extended-duration operations without fixed infrastructure. The company's technology supports defense, industrial, telecommunications, and space-related use cases.

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