Arotech Corporation reports that a prototype zinc-air battery developed by its Electric Fuel subsidiary passed a milestone in testing a Marine Dragon Eye unmanned drone at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Virginia.
In ground testing, the battery, developed with partial funding from the US Army, showed it was capable of powering the UAV Dragon Eye. The Company believes its zinc air battery has the potential to greatly extend the mission duration of this reconnaissance aircraft.
Electric Fuel’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) batteries are high-power, lightweight versions of its most advanced zinc-air cells, which have specific energy of 400 Wh/kg.
“The war in Iraq has clearly demonstrated the importance of UAV’s” said Arotech Chairman and CEO Robert S. Ehrlich, “and I am pleased that we have passed another milestone in this important program. We continue to see many applications for our zinc air battery technology with the military. “
Arotech Corporation operates two business divisions: Electric Fuel Batteries — developing and manufacturing zinc-air batteries for military and homeland security applications and developing electric vehicle batteries for zero emission public transportation; and Arotech Defense — consisting of IES Interactive, which provides advanced high-tech multimedia training systems for law enforcement and paramilitary organizations, and MDT Armor, which provides vehicle armoring for the military, industrial and private sectors.
