Amprius Technologies has developed a lithium-ion battery cell with an energy density of 500 watt-hours per kilogram, designed for long-endurance aviation applications. The second-generation SiCore cell achieves a continuous discharge rate of 1C and is built in customer-specific formats, including the SAE JA1016 standard small uncrewed aircraft systems pouch format.
Commercial production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 at Amprius’s facility in Fremont, California. The company plans to scale output through global contract manufacturing partners using existing equipment and processes, avoiding the need for new infrastructure.
The battery targets high-altitude platforms, fixed-wing drones, and other platforms requiring sustained, low-rate discharge profiles. Amprius has supplied cells to AALTO HAPS, an Airbus subsidiary, since 2018 for the Zephyr platform, which set a 67-day flight endurance record in 2025 for solar-electric high-altitude platforms used in connectivity and earth observation.
Dr. Ionel Stefan, Chief Technology Officer of Amprius, stated that achieving 500 Wh/kg on conventional manufacturing equipment provides a cost-effective, scalable path to volume for aviation customers seeking qualification of the cell.
