Hello everyone,
I’m working on a heavy-lift octocopter that currently uses dual 6S 30 Ah LiPo batteries (≈ 45% of total aircraft weight). The drone carries up to 25 kg payloads and cruises between 4–18 m/s. We’ve been experimenting with aerodynamic improvements and are now exploring ways to improve endurance and energy efficiency through battery upgrades.
I’d like to get opinions on:
I’m working on a heavy-lift octocopter that currently uses dual 6S 30 Ah LiPo batteries (≈ 45% of total aircraft weight). The drone carries up to 25 kg payloads and cruises between 4–18 m/s. We’ve been experimenting with aerodynamic improvements and are now exploring ways to improve endurance and energy efficiency through battery upgrades.
I’d like to get opinions on:
Semi-solid-state batteries – Are they mature enough to handle the high discharge rates (100 A+) needed by multirotor drones?
Silicon-carbon anode batteries – Can they safely replace LiPo packs in terms of voltage sag, burst current capability, and weight trade-offs?
What challenges should we expect (BMS integration, cooling, sourcing cells)?
Would these chemistries make sense for missions where long endurance is more critical than aggressive throttle response?