High Energy Density VB2/Air Batteries for Long Endurance UAVs

ABSTRACT: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are becoming increasingly important for the military and commercial sectors. Small UAVs used for surveillance of battlespace must be capable of long duration flights while providing the necessary data to aid military personnel. Current battery technologies have limited energy densities and provide small UAVs with ~1-2 hours of operational time, which significantly limits their capabilities. The Air Force is currently interested in operating small UAVs for 4-10 hours or longer, depending on the type of mission. To extend the flight time of small UAVs, Lynntech proposes to develop an advanced high energy density battery based on a unique vanadium boride (VB2) anode and an air cathode. Lynntech"s VB2/air battery utilizes a multiple electron electrochemical energy storage process which results in a battery with several fold higher energy density than existing batteries. The Phase I project will fabricate and test small scale VB2/air cells and determine projected metrics for full scale cells to demonstrate the ability to provide long endurance UAVs compared with those utilizing current batteries. During the Phase II, Lynntech will develop and test full scale cells for long endurance UAVs. BENEFIT: Lynntech"s high energy density VB2/air batteries have significant commercial potential based on their significantly higher projected energy densities compared with current primary and rechargreable batteries Specific benefits for DoD include extended duration unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight times, reduced carry weight for soldiers, and extended duration sensors. The battery has a dual use for both military and civilian applications. Military applications include UAVs, soldier power, communication systems, weapons systems, remote sensors, and surveillance systems. Private sector applications for Lynntech"s VB2/air batteries include consumer hearing aids, long endurance sensors, and a broad range of consumer electronic devices.