SA tech poised to target drones in Ukraine war
An SA company has signed a major deal with a drone manufacturer for the Ukrainian army.
South Australian technology company 1414 Degrees today announced a new partnership with a drone manufacturer for the Ukrainian armed forces, pressing forward with its mission to reduce Western supply chain reliance on China for battery components.
The Tonsley-based firm entered into an agreement to test its SiNTL battery technology across Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle platforms with Energie 2000, a strategic government-approved Ukrainian defence manufacturer with more than 25 years of operational history.
The announcement gives 1414 Degrees a foothold in the world’s largest military drone market. Ukraine now produces more than four million drones each year – more than all NATO countries combined.
Energia 2000 currently makes 72,000 drones per year, with plans to scale up production to 360,000 units per year within 24 months.
It was hoped that Chinese dominance of the battery market would be disrupted by 1414 Degrees. The Asian giant currently makes more than 92 per cent of global battery-grade graphite anodes, with 1414 Degrees wanting to “reduce Western supply chain reliance on China for battery components”.
1414 Degrees’ technology SiNTL was developed at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The tech was designed to improve lithium-ion battery performance through silicon-anode material that could be integrated into existing manufacturing pathways.
Energia 2000 will test the SiNTL battery tech across multiple Ukrainian drone platforms.
Drone warfare is central in the Ukraine-Russia war. More than 500 drone manufacturers have been active in Ukraine, with new drone tech often being deployed rapidly as the two nations race to use the most advanced technology.
If the Energia 2000 test was successful, ASX-listed 1414 Degrees could gain access to a commercial pathway into the European defence, drone, and aerospace sectors.
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The company said the agreement was a “material step” in its commercialisation strategy. Each step of the testing program would cost $500,000, 1414 Degrees said.
“The programme gives 14D a direct and practical pathway to test SiNTL in one of the most demanding battery environments in the world,” 1414 Degrees executive chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty said.
“UAV performance is increasingly limited by battery range, endurance, charging time and reliability. SiNTL was developed to address precisely these challenges.
“By working with Ukrainian defence-sector partners, we intend to generate the operational data needed to support future commercial discussions with defence, UAV and aerospace customers.”
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