The Astero ISR, a battle-tested unmanned aircraft system designed and built by Nordic Wing, a Danish-owned fixed-wing drone manufacturer, has been in use by Ukrainian forces since early 2023, and many improvements to the drone have been based on feedback from Ukrainian soldiers

These drones are built for a hardened environment. The Astero ISR is equipped with day and night cameras, allowing it to capture even the smallest details at long distances. Its communication system includes two ground stations, which enable signal transmission over distances up to 42 km, allowing the crew to remain in a safe location while performing missions. It also has an automatic frequency-hopping function in case of jamming attempts by the enemy, and now it has “significantly improved” battery cells from Amprius Technologies, a manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries that use silicon anode technology.

Amprius says its SiCore cells deliver a 90% increase in flight endurance in Nordic Wing’s Astero ISR compared to conventional graphite cells, which translates to up to an additional four hours of flight time.

“Amprius’s batteries have fundamentally changed how our drones operate in the field,” said Jonas Dyhr, founder of Nordic Wing. “With a significant increase in flight time, our drones can stay airborne longer, cover more ground, and deliver real-time intelligence without interruptions. This enhanced endurance doesn’t just improve performance; it redefines what’s possible in every mission and can mean the difference between success and failure.”

SiCore battery cells offer “unparalleled power-to-energy capabilities for high-demand applications” that require both endurance and rapid energy delivery, according to Amprius. The design of a SiCore battery cell utilizes a proprietary silicon anode material system to enable high charge availability and power performance in one cell, the company said.

Source: Amprius Technologies