Lyten, the experts in Lithium-Sulphur battery technology, and AEVEX Aerospace have established a partnership to demonstrate, manufacture and deliver unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) powered by Lithium-Sulphur batteries. The partnership’s goal is to deliver lighter-weight and longer-range UAVs that are also the first to be fully compliant with the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act’s (NDAA) domestic battery sourcing restrictions.

AEVEX is a leader in cutting-edge manned and unmanned systems and services for a wide range of government and commercial customers. AEVEX’s expertise includes designing, developing, and deploying unmanned systems that meet the highest standards of performance and reliability. Their UAVs are renowned for their durability, advanced technology integration, and mission-specific adaptability, making them the preferred choice for complex global operations.

Lyten manufactures Lithium-Sulphur battery cells in pouch and cylindrical formats (2170 and 18650) and is currently shipping cells from its San Jose, CA facility for customer evaluation. Lyten Lithium-Sulfur’s high energy density and light weight enables their use in a wide range of industries, including automotive, space, aerospace, UAVs, micromobility, defense, and consumer electronics. Critically, these cells use locally sourced raw materials and are manufactured in the US, making them fully compliant with the Inflation Reduction Act, the 2024 NDAA, and not subject to Section 301 Tariffs on electric vehicles, batteries, and critical minerals imported from China. In July, Lyten was included on the Silicon Valley Defense Group’s NATSEC100, for the second year, as the only battery company in the list of top national security technologies.

In December 2023, US Congress passed the 2024 NDAA, which prohibits the US Department of Defense (DoD) from procuring batteries or battery components after October 2027 from Chinese manufacturers.

“From day one we have been developing our Lithium-Sulphur batteries to unlock mass market electrification,” says Dan Cook, Lyten CEO and Co-Founder. “That means higher energy density, lighter weight batteries using abundantly available, low-cost raw materials that can be manufactured in the US and Europe using existing manufacturing infrastructure. We are encouraged to see the US Government recognize the importance of a domestic battery industry and create policies that support this vision.”

AEVEX produces a wide variety of unmanned aerial systems in use by the US government and around the world today. “Good policy should foster innovative solutions, and that is what AEVEX and Lyten’s partnership represents,” states Brian Raduenz, Chief Executive Officer at AEVEX. “We are not just becoming the first defense contractor to fully meet the words and intent of Congress’s 2024 NDAA mandate - we’re doing it in a manner that results in a better performing and safer UAV.”

AEVEX and Lyten have already begun integration work and are targeting the first delivery of UAVs powered by Lyten Lithium-Sulfur batteries by the end of 2024.