Scientific Lightning Solutions (SLS) has partnered with the University of Florida with the purpose of conducting real lightning testing operations at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT).

The ICLRT is one of only two locations in the United States where lightning is artificially initiated or “triggered” using the rocket-and-wire technique.

Triggered lightning can be used to effectively characterize the responses of various systems and articles to the direct and indirect effects of lightning currents, electromagnetic fields, and energetic radiation. The characterization can then be used to develop mitigation strategies or protection schemes to make the systems under test less vulnerable to lightning strikes, since unlike in high-voltage laboratory tests, systems are exposed to actual lightning currents and lightning-induced electromagnetic fields.

The SLS/UF partnership opens the door for the commercial industry to test components, equipment, or complete systems to real lightning currents. These testing capabilities will be of great interest to many different industries, including aerospace, oil, military, green power generation, and emerging technology.