Faraday-caged drone triggers and directs lightning strikes

NTT’s Lightning-Triggering Drone Survives Strike, Aims To Protect Infrastructure

In a groundbreaking advancement, Japanese tech giant NTT has developed a drone capable of triggering and surviving lightning strikes, a feat demonstrated during tests in December 2024 and January 2025. NTT’s announcement details the drone’s ability to induce lightning at 300 meters (984 feet), offering a novel approach to mitigating the estimated ¥100 billion to ¥200 billion ($700 million to $1.4 billion) in annual lightning-related damage in Ja…

Faraday-caged drone triggers and directs lightning strikes

In a world first, Japanese researchers flew a lightning-proof drone in a thunderstorm, using it to induce and direct natural lightning strikes. The team is now working on how this flying lightning rod might capture and store lightning energy.Continue ReadingCategory: Drones, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Lightning, Japan, drones, Weather, Electricity