NTT has successfully developed a novel drone that can trigger lightning strikes during thunderstorms, ostensibly to protect infrastructure. In a recent test, this drone ascended to 300 meters and managed to provoke a lightning strike, which it survived due to its unique protective cage. This cage is designed to redirect high currents from lightning away from the drone's components and distribute the current to minimize electromagnetic interference. NTT envisions deploying fleets of these drones to enhance lightning protection over cities, improving upon traditional lightning rods.
"The rapid increase in local electric field strength triggered a lightning strike directed at the drone," NTT's announcement states.
"This rapid increase in local electric field strength triggered a lightning strike directed at the drone," NTT's announcement states.
"At the moment of the strike, a loud cracking sound was heard, a flash was observed at the winch, and partial melting occurred in the drone's lightning protection cage," NTT wrote.
"The cage redirects the high current from the lightning strike away from the drone's internal components, preventing it from flowing through the drone itself."
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