February 24, 2025 – Redwood City, Calif – Reach announced today that its Persistent Unattended Ground Sensors (PUGS) project, sponsored by Air Force Operational Energy, has been selected for a funding award through the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF). Managed by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy Resilience and Optimization (ODASD(ER&O)), OECIF is the Department of Defense’s premier joint operational energy investment program, funding breakthrough energy solutions for military application
Making Sensors Persistent to Protect Missions – c-UAS and Border Security
PUGS leverages wireless power-at-a-distance to eliminate battery limitations in sensor-driven defense systems, including counter-UAS (c-UAS), border security, air defense, force protection, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance).
Sensors are mission-critical for protecting warfighters and enabling real-time threat detection and tracking, yet their effectiveness is constrained by battery life. Dead sensors create operational gaps, requiring costly and time-consuming battery swaps or sensor replacements. This maintenance puts the warfighter at risk and exposes the sensor location to adversaries. Furthermore, as AI-enabled sensors become more advanced, their power demands will escalate, making traditional battery-based solutions unsustainable.
Ben Richardson, former Director of the Energy Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and a member of Reach’s Government Advisory Board, said, “As a former sensor platoon leader, I understand the critical role that persistent power plays in maintaining battlespace awareness. Reach’s groundbreaking RF-based wireless power technology has the potential to transform national defense by providing persistent power to critical capabilities like ground sensors and drones, ensuring continuous operational effectiveness.”
Chris Davlantes, Founder and CEO of Reach, added, “This OECIF funding accelerates our ability to deliver this critical technology to those protecting our country, both domestically and abroad. By eliminating power constraints, we are enhancing operational effectiveness and resilience of essential tools to defend the border, protect the warfighter, and launch counter UAS attacks.”
Power Beaming: A Key Focus Area for DoD Innovation
Power Beaming, or Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), is a strategic priority within OECIF’s Operational Energy Demand Reduction (OEDR) category. The ability to intelligently deliver energy wirelessly to the tactical edge is a critical requirement for modern warfare, enhancing operational autonomy, reducing vulnerabilities and increasing resilience across bases, the border, ships, aircraft, ground vehicles, and satellites.
The FY25 OECIF call for proposals focused on Operational Energy Innovative Solutions Addressing Current Operations’ Insights, with a special emphasis on enterprise-wide energy visibility and decision-making (EWEV&DM) capabilities.
Reach’s award reinforces the Department’s need for wireless power solutions while aligning with national security priorities, including border security, air defense, and increased warfighter efficiency.
About Reach
Reach is the industry leader in Wireless Power-at-a-Distance and a pioneer in future force energy technologies. Its patented power-beaming technology eliminates the constraints of wired infrastructure and battery dependency, enabling persistent ISR, counter-UAS, and autonomous operations. Reach partners with government, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors to deliver scalable, resilient, and mission-ready power solutions.
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