从第二次世界大战开始,就看到了以空腔磁控管的高能微波发射体开始发展, 以微波作为能量传输的方式就已经开始研究。在1964年William C. Brown 展示了一架装备了组合天线和整流器被称为整流天线的微型直升机。整流天线将空间的微波能量转化为直流能量,从而使微型直升机飞行[1]。原则上说,在最佳情况下,整流线圈能保证高达超过90%的转换效率。
当前提出的许多关于MPT的建议都包含了一个利用相控阵的微波发射装置。While these have lower efficiency levels they have the advantage of being electrically steered using no moving parts, and are easier to scale to the necessary levels that a practical MPT system requires.
^Brown., W. C. The History of Power Transmission by Radio Waves. Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on. September 1984, (Volume: 32, Issue: 9 On page(s): 1230- 1242 + ISSN: 0018-9480) [2010-03-10]. (原始内容存档于2021-04-20).
^POINT-TO-POINT WIRELESS POWER TRANSPORTATION IN REUNION ISLAND互联网档案馆的存檔,存档日期2005-10-23. 48th International Astronautical Congress, Turin, Italy, 6-10 October 1997 - IAF-97-R.4.08 J. D. Lan Sun Luk, A. Celeste, P. Romanacce, L. Chane Kuang Sang, J. C. Gatina - University of La Réunion - Faculty of Science and Technology.