Battery Performance

The United States Forest Service (USFS) is seeking information on innovative, high-performance battery solutions to support extended flight duration on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The focus is on the Alta X aircraft, which requires a battery with a nominal voltage of 44.4V, a minimum discharge rating of 320 amps per battery, and a capacity of 16Ah. The USFS is interested in battery configurations that can meet or exceed these requirements, with a focus on increasing energy density, endurance, and reliability. The information provided will be used to develop the USFS's acquisition strategy and requirements documents. Some key points to consider include: • The battery system must be compatible with the Alta X airframe and meet aircraft center-of-gravity requirements. • The installed battery system must identify any reduction or increase in the aircraft's maximum payload capacity compared to the standard manufacturer-approved configuration. • The battery system should have a battery management system (BMS) with cell balancing, state of charge (SOC) accuracy, fault detection, fail-safe protection, and telemetry reporting to the ground control station (GCS). • The USFS is interested in faster charging capabilities that do not significantly degrade battery life. • The battery system should have thermal management solutions, such as passive or active cooling, and heating requirements.