The Faraday cage is something you may have heard of, perhaps thinking back to those high school physics classes where you slept through (don't deny it, come on). Well, now that same cage has decided to fly. Literally. In Japan, in fact, they have just created something unheard of: a drone that attracts lightning by exploiting the protection offered by a metal structure, a flying Faraday cage. Why do they do it? Because they can, of course. But there's more: the promise of a future where lightning and thunderstorms might no longer be an uncontrollable threat, but rather a resource or, at the very least, a threat managed with a little more style and a pinch of madness.
Faraday flies high (literally)
The cage of F, as mentioned, is a classic of high school physics lessons, often told with that teacher's tone that perfectly manages to put you to sleep (ok? I also gave you an alibi). In Japan they have just decided to awaken it from the sleep of theory, launching it directly into the storms via a flying drone. That's right, you read that right: a Faraday cage with propellers.
Of course, the English physicist Michael Faraday probably would not have expected such a development. Perhaps he would have turned in his grave to see his invention used to actively cause lightning. Or maybe not: after all, the man was a lover of thrilling challenges (literally, right?).
When Drones Cause Lightning
In a recent experiment, engineers from the Japanese company NTT they sent a special drone into the air, armed with a flying Faraday cage. Goal? To attract and channel lightning, making particularly vulnerable areas like airports, stadiums and power plants safer.
“The idea is to protect critical infrastructure from lightning strikes with flying drones capable of intercepting them,” say the Japanese scientists, demonstrating an almost arrogant confidence in their invention.
The drone rises, waits patiently for the electrical discharge, and boom: it captures the lightning bolt through a metal structure that diverts the energy directly to the ground. Of course, the drone must survive the shock: and, surprisingly, it does, even though its protective cage has remained slightly “toasted”.
From the storm to the drums (maybe)
But the Japanese ambition does not stop there. Why stop at protection alone when you can imagine something even more ambitious, such as storing energy directly from lightning?
Think of a single flash: a billion Joules of energy, capable of recharging electric cars or powering entire neighborhoods for short periods. Magnificent, right? It's a pity that there are some technical complications. Capturing this energy is like trying to fill a glass with a waterfall: there is a lot of water, yes, but too fast and violent to be easily controlled.
Batteries would explode, transformers would catch fire, and, well, it would all be very unromantic. But scientists do not give up, because the allure of capturing lightning is too irresistible to let go.
“Faraday Drones”: A Promise or a Provocation?
This feat, bordering on scientific madness, poses a fundamental question: are we really becoming capable of controlling the forces of nature, or are we just playing with fire (or in this case, lightning)? For now, the drone with the flying Faraday cage is an intriguing experiment, perhaps capable of solving serious practical problems. But be careful: the line between innovation and provocation is very thin, and when we talk about lightning it is definitely better not to get burned.
One thing is certain: if Faraday could see all this, he would probably smile. Or maybe he would just take notes, ironically wondering why he hadn't thought of it first.
