Sion Power’s lithium-metal batteries provide impressive performance in unmanned aerial vehicles

Sion Power Corporation, Tucson, Arizona, technology leader in high-energy, lithium-metal rechargeable batteries, announces the demonstration of its Licerion^® High Energy (HE) technology with 500 Wh/kg and 1000 Wh/L. Licerion-HE is designed to provide longer mission times and enables higher payloads for high-altitude pseudo satellites (HAPS), high-altitude long-endurance (HALE), and a variety of other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Sion Power has designed the Licerion-HE for the UAV markets, such as HAPS, where recharge energy is provided by photovoltaic cells mounted on the aircraft surface. Additional application requirements include a minimal weight burden from battery packs, high gravimetric energy density, and slow cycling; all are features of the Licerion-HE design.

Thales Alenia Space – a ioint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo 33% – and Sion Power have collaborated over the last year to determine the ability of Sion Power’s Licerion-HE cell to meet the requirements of the Thales Stratobus. Stratobus is a stratospheric airship, a high altitude, multi-purpose platform that uses a combination of solar energy and battery storage as its power source. “Sion Power cycled their cells following the Stratobus flight profile for over a year, and the results were impressive,” said Frederic BEZIAT, Stratobus Energy Storage Manager at Thales Alenia Space. Mr. BEZIAT went on to say that, “The Licerion cells completed 1000 cycles, which means the Stratobus could stay aloft continuously for more than two years. The high energy density of the Licerion cells can provide all the energy needed without compromising payload capacity.”

Sion Power is currently working with customers on battery pack development with supply dates beginning in mid-2021 for UAV markets. Broader distribution for the Licerion-HE is scheduled for early 2022.

About Sion Power
Backed by industry-leading experience in battery development, Sion Power is changing the rechargeable battery industry with its Licerion^® technology. Licerion is an advanced approach to lithium-metal batteries containing twice the energy in the same size and weight battery, as is found in a traditional lithium-ion battery. Licerion batteries are an enabling technology for growth markets such as electric vehicles (EV), electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), and more. Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Sion Power is a privately held, vertically integrated organization with more than 255 issued patents.