Chargebotic Inc
Chargebotic Inc. develops Kestrel, a tethered power platform that perches on live AC power lines and harvests energy from the magnetic field without touching the conductor. Field-demonstrated at JIFX 26-4, it delivered 18 W from a 100 A line to power a Starlink terminal, EO camera, passive radar, and battery recharge. The system provides continuous 24 V DC power, replacing generators and fuel logistics with silent, signature-free operation.
- Energy
- Defense Tech
- Drones & Uncrewed Systems
- Robotics
- Hardware
Funding
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Military and field operations increasingly rely on electronics—radars, sensors, radios, satellite terminals, and counter-UAS systems—drawing 5 to 150 W continuously. Current energy delivery methods are inadequate: generators create noise, heat, and exhaust signatures; battery swaps require up to ten per day for a single 100 W load; and solar fails at night and under cloud cover, exactly when sensors are still watching.
Solution
Kestrel is a tethered power platform that perches on live AC power lines and harvests energy from the magnetic field around the conductor at a controlled standoff, without touching the wire or disrupting line operation. The system delivers continuous 24 V DC power via tether to a ground station, integrating with fielded power hubs and battery systems. It operates day and night in any weather, independent of sun, wind, or resupply, replacing fuel logistics with silent, on-station power. One month on station replaces a 2 kW generator and about 240 gallons of fuel. The platform is remotely piloted, with Kestrel 2 targeting semi-autonomous line attachment and integration with customer autonomy systems.
Target Audience
Primary customers are military and defense units operating electronic equipment at the tactical edge—including sensors, radar, communication terminals, and counter-UAS systems—that require continuous power without fuel resupply or visible signatures.
Features
- Magline inductive harvester draws energy from the magnetic field at controlled standoff; no contact with the conductor and no damage to the line
- Field demonstrated August 2026 at JIFX 26-4: 18 W drawn from a 120 V, 100 A line at 10 ft standoff; 22.8 W bench harvest from a 132 A line; output scales with line current
- Design envelope of 20 to 150 W continuous on 200 to 1000 A lines; Kestrel 2 (Q1 2027) targets 50 to 250 W
- 24 V DC output on a NATO pin over tether, integrating with fielded power hubs and battery systems
- No generator noise, heat, or exhaust; no fuel signature on station
- Remote piloted operation; Kestrel 2 adds semi-autonomous line finding and attachment
- In development: Spark E aircraft that recharges itself by perching on power lines, enabling long-range missions without returning to base