Ukraine Shows U.S. How To Beat China In Drone Battery Wars
Batteries are fueling drone warfare. Reconnaissance quadcopters with a half-hour of flying time require a constant supply of freshly recharged batteries to keep going. Bomber drones eat up similar numbers. FPV drones are shipped with batteries that weigh more than the drones themselves.
Most drone batteries are made in China, which is why the Chinese government was able to pull the plug on battery supplies to U.S. military drone maker Skydio last month.
Skydio CEO Adam Bry reassured customers that they would quickly find an alternate source, but warned that for the next few months Skydio X10 batteries would be rationed — one per drone. The U.S. Army, which uses the X10 in the Short Range Reconnaissance role, was probably expecting a regular supply of spares, for a certified ‘Blue sUAS’ drone sourced from secure suppliers.
Break open a drone battery, and you will find a shrink-wrapped block containing smaller batteries. Large battery units, from laptops to power tools to electric bikes to EV car batteries, are all assembled from varying number of standard cells not much bigger than an AA battery.
