Much improved batteries are here!

[Deane Williams]

This is great news. 

Across aerospace, aviation, robotics, and advanced mobility, engineers are pushing for longer flight times,

higher power, and lighter platforms. Achieving that leap often comes down to one critical component: the
 battery.
Amprius’ ultra-high-energy lithium-ion cells deliver up to 2× the energy density of conventional
solutions, enabling dramatic improvements in endurance, range, and payload capacity. From
high-performance drones to next-generation mobility systems, our technology is helping customers
unlock missions and designs that were previously out of reach.

See HERE

[Ryan Bluestein]

Any idea what the pricing is looking like? Also are they planning on making standard form factor batteries? Third, any idea when they're actually coming to market?

Apologies if that info is on their website, but I couldn't find it with some quick browsing.

Ryan

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[George Underhill]

That post seemed more like an ad than about a battery specifically for typical soaring application.  Amperius makes the battery, but unless your manufacturing your own you'll need to find someone who sells the integrated packs.  A 4S is 13.6 volts. Here is one seller.  I didn't search for others.

https://titanbatteries.com/collections/flight?filter.p.m.custom.cells_in_series=4S&sort_by=best-selling

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[Deane Williams]

Yes, lots more info on their website, including a catalog PDF with all technical details.

https://amprius.com/documents/Amprius_Product_Portfolio_0824_website.pdf

[Ryan Bluestein]

Ah, I didn't realize they were just making the cells. I'm not opposed to gutting one of my old batteries and replacing the cells, but it definitely has to be at the right price. I'm also curious if these batteries have the same battery fire concerns that so many other lipos have.

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[Matthew Scutter]

Having been involved with a few drone projects with unlimited budgets I can tell you there's still no free lunch with batteries.

If you want batteries that behave the same as your current batteries, any progress will be insignificant incremental steps that eventually add up.

If you want twice the capacity, you can already get that, but you'll have a cycle life of 10-50 charge/discharges, peak power output of <1C, and costs 100x.

I think Ampirus is exactly in that last category.

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[zach yamauchi]

I switched this season from LiFePO4 avionics batteries to NMC batteries with 25% higher capacity. I have been very happy with them so far, but they output 16 v, so all your electronics need to be able to handle that increased voltage. It is the same form factor as a 7 ah SLA battery, or a 15 ah LiFePO4.

https://ampedoutdoors.com/products/19ah-lithium-battery-14-8v-nmc

There is a european producer airnergy that makes a similar glider specific battery for 3x the cost. 

Zach

[Cliff Hilty]

Zack did you have to buy a new charger as well, and could they charge off of solar at a slower rate?

Cliff

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[zach yamauchi]

Cliff,

They are sold with an included charger. 

If you intend to solar charge them, you will have to match the solar charger output with the charging input required for these batteries which will be different than for a lifpo4 or SLA chemistry battery. With these batteries utilizing a higher power density cell and a BMS for charging/discharging, I personally would not attempt to charge them with anything other than the provided charger.  

Zach

[two vallhunds]

Thanks.

Have not heard of those before.  I am definitely going to look into this.  Still living in the NiMH world. 

I suppose one could set up something like this:

solar panels -> inverter->factory charger->NMC battery

When clouds roll in, would the power drop screw up the charger?

Or:

solar panels-> charge controller->big ass battery->inverter->factory charger->NMC battery

Complicated.  Maybe a second set of batteries would be less expensive.

[Mark Mocho]

Doesn't sound like the NMC batteries are all that great for our use. This is cut from the ampedoutdoors website:

[two vallhunds]

Not a problem for me.  I take the batteries out after each flight, and charge them at home or in a motel room.  So no change in procedure.

[Bill Mileski]

NMC sounds like marketing shorthand for standard Lithium Nickel Cobalt Manganese Oxide cell chemistry. These are not new, and very high energy density but suffer the usual considerations such as thermal runaway, and manufacturing quality — accuracy of placement of the electrode and dielectric layers, to avoid a short developing at their edges. Cycling in temperature and ambient pressure is a mechanical stress.  I still chose these in pouch form, as power source for a handheld portable medical ultrasound, as it was the only solution that would meet capacity requirements for the available physical volume. But we struggled to find a quality manufacturer without risk of early failures including cell expansion. Range of charging and discharge temperatures were enforced by the device as well. 

For soaring I currently use a 15AH Lithium Iron Phosphate, and it seems very light to me. Mine actually measured 17.5AH during an initial capacity test. I only have one avionics battery but both electronic varios have a (claimed) 3+ hr internal backup, and I carry a handheld radio as backup. 

On Dec 23, 2025, at 3:11 AM, two vallhunds <twoval...@gmail.com> wrote:

Not a problem for me.  I take the batteries out after each flight, and charge them at home or in a motel room.  So no change in procedure.

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[Bill Mileski]

Apologies, since I’m quoting chemistry, I may as well get it right:

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, not

Lithium Nickel Cobalt Manganese Oxide. 

Pre-coffee dyslexia. 

B

On Dec 23, 2025, at 8:58 AM, Bill Mileski <william...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Mark Mocho]

Higher energy density batteries based on lithium chemistry vary in their longevity, cycle time, number of charge cycles, and mass (weight). All of the higher capacity lithium cells have some risk of thermal runaway and fire. The FAA published a study several years ago that rated various lithium chemistry batteries to determine their risk factor. Although the report is from 2017, I think it is still interesting. No matter the hype from the battery industry, lithium-based batteries have not really improved all that much since the study came out in 2017. I have attached the report, but to cut to the chase, LiFePo4 batteries present the least risk, and by a substantial margin.

[christopher behm]

I'll stick to my 15AH LiFe battery. 

The day that it becomes too small a capacity for my flying will be a happy day indeed!

Happy holidays all. 

Chris

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Subject: Re: [RAS_Prime] Much improved batteries are here!

 

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[Eric Greenwell]

if 15ah is enough capacity, you might not have enough electronics! And don't mess around getting another backup vario; instead, get a Starlink Mini satellite internet, only $229. Go Full Gordon (minus the jet engine)!

Seriously, given the limitations of the NMC batteries, I think anyone would be better off finding a place in the glider to mount another (or larger) LFE battery.