Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a technique that could possibly be used with lightweight aircraft that employs a laser to power paper airplanes.
The mechanism uses a laser to turn water into steam to power the engine. The research team is led by professor Takashi Yabe of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science.
They used a process called "laser ablation," which occurs when a laser beam hits an object and atoms are ejected from its surface. This creates a certain momentum that can propel the object forward.