The Nevada Lightning Laboratory were recently trying many experiments, such as what would happen if you flew a small radio controlled helicopter between two Tesla coils, could a small vehicle big enough for one person be powered using a Tesla coil. Watch the videos below for the cool answers.
"We’ve done a number of things using Tesla’s original schematic, and have been able to transmit and receive considerable amounts of power. The 1:12 Scale Prototype Towers. These twin prototypes serve as an accurate scale model of the proposed full-scale 12-story Lightning Lab design, allowing detailed study the complex dynamics between two phased, coupled, high voltage resonators. The twins have already revealed many interesting abilities, including a unexpectedly strong tendency to couple power wirelessly, over sizable distances. We studied this peculiar ability in greater detail, and published a paper at the 2008 North American Power Symposium."
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Yeah, but it’s still completely impractical. I mean, I’ll take a good excuse to make lightning any day, but don’t try to pass it off as getting actual work done 😐
I sure hope the investors know that facilities for this sort of thing exist, and this is not “new” in any way.
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It’s a non-profit organization, so investors aren’t really necessary. Lightning research is quite relevant to today, if not for the mere presentation of how high voltages can destroy things. My brother and I had an opportunity to visit the lab but ran out of time before we could get there.
I just wish the camera work could have been better. Shaky, pointing it to the demonstrator until just as the action starts makes it difficult to see what’s going on.
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I could be wrong, but aren’t they putting several thousand watts in to the Tesla Coils, and getting just one or two watts delivered to the devices?
Looks like fun (it really does), but I hope they didn’t spend any of our Tax Dollars on it!
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I don’t think they get any government funding as there’s nothing on their site about it. I don’t believe that 501c3 companies can take government funding. I could be wrong, though. They do have a page for accepting donations which doesn’t say anything about government funding.