Japanese Drone Sparks Lightening Strikes

For the first time ever, researchers at Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) have programmed a drone to trigger real lightning strikes by firing precision electric pulses into storm clouds  . This isn’t just a gadget—it’s a flying lightning rod, completely encased in a Faraday cage that withstands surges up to 150 kA. In December 2024, hovering at around 300 m near Hamada City, the drone unleashed a bolt powerful enough to melt its cage—and yet it continued flying. As NTT puts it:

"The world’s first successful lightning induction using a drone,” NTT declared.

Meet the Team and the Scientist

While the project is credited to NTT’s engineering collective, a key leader behind the operation is Dr. Shigemi Okano, a senior researcher on the team. In a statement to ScienceAlert, Dr. Okano remarked:

“We aim not only to trigger and control lightning, but also to harness its energy for future applications” 

This combination of bold ambition and meticulous engineering is driving drones—from sky-bound racers to storm-taming machines—into the heart of our technology narrative.

Connecting to “Human vs. AI” – Sparknify’s Drone Series

NTT’s lightning-calling drone exemplifies a deeper theme at Sparknify’s upcoming event: where human insight meets autonomous precision.

• Human ingenuity—the vision to use drones proactively to redirect lightning, a strategy centuries in the making from kites to rods to robots.

• Machine autonomy—an untethered drone, outfitted with intelligent sensors and conductive shielding, carrying out complex tasks without real-time human control.

In our Human vs. AI framing, the lightning drone embodies the question: Do humans still guide the operation, or do machines define the possibilities? It’s the perfect illustration of our core debate.

What You’ll See at the Event

During our “Drones of the Land, Sea, and Sky” live studio episode:

• Startup founders will unpack real-world use cases—from construction bots to sea-gliders and intelligent weather tech.

• Drone racers will bring the adrenaline of FPV, showcasing why human reflexes still matter.

• Live demos, including a segment inspired by the NTT lightning drone, will highlight hands-on exploration—see how drones touch the sky, manipulate the elements, and challenge our assumptions.

This lightning drone story isn’t sci‑fi; it’s a testament to the union of human creativity and evolving autonomy—and a highlight reel waiting to happen on our stage.

Why It Matters

NTT’s breakthrough pushes us to reconsider the boundaries between nature and tech: when machines direct lightning, who controls what? At Silicon Valley Unplugged, we’re not just showcasing innovations; we’re staging a conversation—with sparks flying—about responsibility, creativity, and the limits of autonomous systems.

Drones of the Land, Sea, and Sky

July 18, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 PMMidpen Media Center

Register Now

Join us live at Midpen Media Center in Palo Alto on July 18, 2025 as we explore this tension. Will humans continue to pilot the future, or will intelligent drones chart new frontiers on their own? Either way, prepare to be electrified.