ADA Technologies, a research and development company, has secured a U.S. Air Force contract to develop lithium-ion battery for integration into military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
The company will conduct research on novel power generation system enabled by nanomaterials to meet the military UAS’ power generation as well as storage needs.
The military UAS needs to be highly portable, as it can find applications in various outdoor and indoor missions. In addition, it requires high endurance. However, current lithium-ion batteries lack sufficient energy offering capabilities. Hence, it is necessary to develop advanced lithium-ion battery. In the Phase I research program, the company had developed advanced nanocomposite electrodes for use in lithium-ion batteries, which have higher power density and energy, better life cycle and safety.
ADA will partner with SouthWest NanoTechnologies, manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, to carry out the phase II research. During the phase II study program, ADA will create electrode synthesis protocols and related electrode procedures. This research will lead to the design, development and manufacturing of a complete lithium-ion battery prototype for UAS.