Li-S Energy Limited (ASX: LIS) is excited to announce the successful completion of test flights for an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), powered by its innovative twelve cell lithium sulfur battery pack. This marks a significant milestone in demonstrating the practical application of the company’s advanced battery technology in UAVs.
Successful Integration and Flight Performance
The UAV, equipped with a 6S2P battery pack comprising twelve 10Ah lithium sulfur cells from Li-S Energy's Phase 3 production line, exhibited impressive flight capabilities in a series of tests. The battery pack, weighing just 550 grams and boasting a capacity of 20Ah and a nominal voltage of 11.4V, was integrated into a fixed-wing, single motor uncrewed aircraft with a 2.4-meter wingspan.
Test flights utilized both catapult and hand launch techniques, achieving a total flight time of 30 minutes on a single battery charge, without the need for intermediate recharging. Post-flight evaluations confirmed that the battery pack was only partially discharged and recharged successfully back at Li-S Energy’s facility.
Comments from Leadership
Dr. Lee Finniear, CEO of Li-S Energy, expressed his satisfaction with the advancements, stating, "Last month we achieved a cell energy density of more than 450Wh/kg. Now, we are showcasing these cells in a full battery pack, marking a significant step forward in our ‘dawn-til-dusk’ drone program and reaffirming our commitment to delivering powerful solutions for the drone, eAviation, and security sectors."
Dr. Steve Rowlands, CTO, added, "The consistency of cell parameters from our production line and our advanced semi-solid-state chemistry simplifies the balancing of cells within the pack. This initial demonstration is pivotal as we continue to refine our technology and expand its applications in real-world scenarios."
Future Developments
Li-S Energy plans to use the current UAV platform as a performance test bed to further evaluate pack-level performance and flight duration, feeding into ongoing development for its comprehensive ‘dawn-til-dusk’ drone program and collaborations with industry partners.
