About Energy has partnered with Munich-based EFT Mobility, part of Quantum Systems Group, to accelerate battery design innovation for drone platforms. By applying About Energy’s modelling platform, EFT Mobility replaced manual processes in the early design phase, enabling faster and more reliable cell selection. As a result, cell shortlisting was reduced by six months, pack development accelerated by three months, and thermal issue detection improved by 20%.
At its London facility, About Energy continuously tests a wide range of commercial cells, adding new chemistries to a platform that now includes more than 30 high-performance and next-generation variants. This database supports simulation-driven evaluation for sectors including space, defense, aviation, drones, automotive, and motorsport. Cells are characterized and integrated into the platform within four weeks, giving customers timely insights into emerging technologies.
EFT Mobility, which develops battery and charging systems for unmanned aerial vehicles, leveraged simulation to assess multiple high-performance cells—including advanced Amprius variants—against drone-specific criteria such as flight time, power output, payload capacity, and thermal performance. Virtual prototyping through the platform allowed design validation before physical testing, reducing development time and mitigating risks associated with cell degradation and swelling.
Dr. Gavin White, co-founder and CEO of About Energy, “Drones face intense pressure to maximise flight time, safety and reliability, yet cell selection and validation are often slow, data-limited and costly. EFT Mobility has been an outstanding partner to showcase how simulation changes this reality. Together we are proving that high-quality battery data and virtual prototyping cut guesswork, speed up design timelines and enable right-first-time decisions, transforming drone battery development.”
Tobias Kahnert, CEO of EFT Mobility, said, “We want to deliver the best drone battery solutions across multiple cell types and platforms, while giving our customers a rapid route to market. Achieving this means thinking differently from the way things are typically done in our industry. About:Energy’s platform provides access to high-quality cell data that accelerates our selection and design processes, helping us quickly find optimal configurations for weight, flight-time and thermal trade-offs.”
About Energy’s comprehensive approach addresses industry challenges such as geopolitical supply chain shifts and evolving performance requirements. By predicting degradation and validating fast-charging protocols early, the platform supports both technical and commercial decision-making. EFT Mobility’s success demonstrates how combining extensive cell testing with advanced modelling can transform drone battery development.
Source: About Energy Journal
