DRONELIFE first heard about Amprius Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: AMPX) at Commercial UAV Expo last year. Amprius has an answer to one of the most persistent problems in drone technology: flight endurance and battery life. Amprius manufactures next-generation lightweight lithium-ion batteries with its Silicon Anode Platform. The company’s proprietary anode technology enables the production of battery cells with energy density levels approaching twice the performance of current commercially available graphite cells.
The company has had a big win, providing a commercial level shipment of Amprius drone batteries to AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) for the Switchblade 300 Block 20 loitering missile system. Also called the “suicide drone,” the Switchblade 300 could prove the case for putting Amprius batteries in more commercial drone platforms.
The Amprius lightweight, high energy density lithium-ion battery cells are expected to increase the flight time of the new Switchblade by at least 50%, for longer flight endurance and extended loitering capability.
“This partnership with AeroVironment further validates the potential of our silicon anode technology for advanced aviation and defense applications,” said Dr. Kang Sun, Chief Executive Officer of Amprius. “We look forward to continuing to work with the AeroVironment team to greatly improve flight time of their tactical missile systems.”
Amprius began delivering cell shipments as a supplier to AeroVironment in 2022 and is fulfilling additional commitments for the future. AeroVironment is currently integrating Amprius cells into some defense products and is a strategic investor in the Company.
“Amprius’ battery cells have the power capabilities to transform the range and mission time for our applications,” said Brett Hush, AeroVironment’s vice president and product line general manager of tactical missile systems. “This capability could allow operators to deploy loitering missile systems from a greater range to identify threats and deliver a precision lethal payload with minimal collateral effects.”
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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https://dronelife.com/2023/04/17/amprius-to-provide-next-generation-drone-batteries-to-aerovironment-unparalleled-run-time/