So, you have to multiply that by the efficiency with which you can use power to generate a laser beam (I see adverts advertising 52% “wall power efficiency”, so I guess a ballpark factor of 2 is reasonable), and that 20% may not have been over 5 miles.
Someone•3h ago
https://www.darpa.mil/news/2025/darpa-program-distance-recor...: “the team measured more than 20% efficiency from the optical power out of the laser to the electrical power out of the receiver at shorter distances”
So, you have to multiply that by the efficiency with which you can use power to generate a laser beam (I see adverts advertising 52% “wall power efficiency”, so I guess a ballpark factor of 2 is reasonable), and that 20% may not have been over 5 miles.