On November 19, a sold-out, workshop hosted by University of Texas at Dallas and Wright Brothers Institute (WBI) brought together defense experts, industry leaders, and academic experts to tackle a critical challenge: advancing energy storage solutions for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This event featured renowned speakers, including Dr. Robert Mantz (DoD R&E) and Eric Shields (DoD OSD), and industry representatives from Skydio, Mitre, and others. Together, they delved into the pivotal role of energy storage in fortifying national security and fostering technological innovation in the UAV sector. The meeting, titled “Energy Storage Solutions for the Advancement of UAVs,” works to shape the growing importance of energy storage in the UAV sector and its role in strengthening national security through enhanced technological collaboration.
Addressing Global Supply Chain Challenges
Reducing reliance on foreign battery suppliers emerged as a key priority, particularly regarding sources from adversarial nations like China. As global supply chains face growing geopolitical risks, the DoD aims to source 90% of its batteries from allied nations by 2029.
Advancing UAV Battery Solutions
A central focus of the meeting was the demand for standardized, modular energy storage solutions tailored to UAV platforms. The DoD outlined its vision for interchangeable battery systems to address the unique energy density and endurance needs of UAV platforms while reducing supply chain vulnerabilities. Interoperability would enable batteries to be swapped across UAV models, simplifying logistics and enhancing mission flexibility. The DoD emphasized the need for closer collaboration with industry partners to establish more commonality for battery interfaces, chargers, and power systems. By leveraging commercial technologies, the DoD aims to accelerate the development of effective and efficient UAV energy storage solutions. Industry leaders discussed the formation of an industry body to drive these efforts forward, enabling shared resources, a consensus voice, and fostering innovation across both the commercial and defense sectors.
Strategic Initiatives and Key Actions
Several actionable priorities emerged from the discussions, aimed at addressing the energy storage challenges in the UAV sector within the US:
- Shared Standards and Collaboration
- Advancing open designs for connectors, battery management systems (BMS), and chargers to aid interoperability and supply chain flexibility.
- Look at recent successful efforts emerging from other Army programs for sharing common pack designs across manufacturers. Working with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and other UAV procurement teams to incentivize the adoption of more common design aspects.
- Development of New Components
- Accelerate the creation of adaptable battery packs that ensure mission continuity and simplify logistics across UAV platforms where gaps in the market supply may exist.
- Creating modular and adaptable battery packs that can be swapped across different UAV models, enhancing mission flexibility.
- Enhancing Resources and Manufacturing
- Leverage BEACONS’ prototyping capabilities to develop innovative battery configurations—such as pouch and cylindrical designs—with highly demanding performance and energy requirements. o Establishing contract manufacturing capabilities to produce custom battery solutions that are cost-prohibitive for traditional industry manufacturers.
The Path Forward
As part of the ongoing collaboration, BEACONS will continue to work towards a key role in accelerating standards, common practices, and working closely with the DoD to refine a tool to specify UAV battery requirements over the coming months. Engaging with NAVAIR, AFRL, DIU and others, BEACONS sees a need to continue to proactively address supply chain vulnerabilities to ensure the US builds on its leadership in UAVs. The concerted efforts outlined in the meeting mark an important step toward securing the future of UAV technology and ensuring energy storage solutions are both efficient and resilient in the face of global challenges.
Despite the critical importance of energy storage, batteries are often treated as a lower-priority concern in UAV design. Many designers instead rely on sourcing the latest high-power cells from China, creating dependencies that limit innovation and leave critical capabilities underdeveloped. Addressing this gap is crucial—adding just 15 minutes of flight time to a UAV, in our view, can profoundly enhance mission success, operational efficiency, and overall effectiveness. At BEACONS, we are dedicated to bridging this gap, developing energy solutions that not only optimize UAV performance but also redefine the potential of autonomous systems across all domains, including UAVs, UUVs, UGVs, and beyond.
About BEACONS:
BEACONS fast-tracks innovation to reclaim domestic authority, closing battery technology and manufacturing gaps. We bridge critical technology gaps, advancing US battery innovation to reinforce America’s competitiveness. With IP-Secure facilities, we deliver trusted results, helping companies scale faster. Based at the University of Texas at Dallas, BEACONS drives US energy storage forward.