We have previously suggested using a set of cheap disposable kites as a sacrificial outer set of kites for lightning protection for a kite farm. The idea being the outer kites get vapourised by strikes discharging a storm and preventing damage / giving time to retract precious costly farm kites…
We don’t need to
We can blast the sky with lasers and the lightning will follow the beam down apparently
Odd the article mentioned kites
Usual disclaimers (all you gotta do…) 10 + years away, size of a car, cost…
However I might change my name to Laser Lightning Rod