SES AI, an innovative developer of AI-enhanced battery solutions, is set for a highly successful presence at XPONENTIAL 2026, May 12-14, Detroit, where the company is showcasing its next-generation high-energy-density battery portfolio for unmanned systems.
SES AI is expecting significant attention at its exhibit from global drone manufacturers, defense integrators, and autonomous systems developers, with strong inbound interest across both commercial and mission-critical applications.
Strong Customer Engagement Across Drone Ecosystem
Throughout the event, SES AI engaging with a broad range of customers seeking higher energy density, longer endurance, and NDAA-compliant supply chain solutions. The company is predicting robust interest in qualification programs, pilot deployments, and production-scale partnerships, particularly across defense, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), long-range mapping applications.
Customers have highlighted strong demand for batteries that can simultaneously improve flight endurance, payload capability, and operational reliability in extreme environments, areas where SES AI’s solutions are positioned to deliver differentiated value.
Best-in-Class Drone Battery Portfolio
SES AI is showcasing its 10Ah drone battery series, engineered to outperform peers across energy, balanced, and power categories:
- H10E High-Energy Battery: 396 Wh/kg energy density and 40.1 Wh capacity, optimized for long-endurance missions.
- H10P High-Power Battery: 340 Wh/kg energy density, designed for rapid discharge and high-thrust applications.
- H10B Balanced Battery: Optimized trade-off between energy and power for versatile mission profiles.
All cells are UN 38.3 certified, manufactured using established Li-ion processes, and designed for scalable global deployment.
NDAA-Compliant Manufacturing and Global Supply Assurance
SES AI is also highlighting its secure production infrastructure, including its NDAA-compliant facility in Chungju, South Korea, alongside its U.S. manufacturing operations. The company emphasizes its ability to deliver reliable, high-volume supply for global drone customers with full traceability and supply chain assurance.
The Chungju facility, originally established in 2021 and upgraded for drone cell production, has already begun delivering cells for customer qualification and commercial use, reinforcing SES AI’s readiness for rapid scale.
AI-Driven Breakthroughs with Molecular Universe
At the core of SES AI’s performance advantage is its proprietary AI platform, Molecular Universe, which integrates large-scale molecular discovery with predictive battery design. The platform maps more than 10⁸ battery-relevant molecules and enables an end-to-end workflow, spanning search, formulation, simulation, and performance prediction.
By combining AI models with autonomous lab data, SES AI can iterate electrolyte and cell designs more than 100× faster than traditional development cycles, enabling rapid optimization for extreme operating environments, including arctic cold and high-heat combat theaters.
VIP Customer Interest and Facility Engagement
Following XPONENTIAL, SES AI believes there will be increased demand for its exclusive behind-the-scenes facility tours at its Chungju manufacturing site, with interest in deeper collaboration, including co-development programs and customized battery formulations tailored to next-generation unmanned platforms.
Qichao Hu, Founder and CEO of SES AI, said, “For many drone customers, battery performance is a defining factor in mission success. Our 10Ah pouch cells are engineered for mission-critical applications where sustained performance, high power output, and reliability must be delivered under real-world conditions, even in extreme operating environments. As customer requirements continue to evolve, we will continue expanding our product portfolio to deliver the next generation of high-performance battery solutions for our VIP customers.”
Visit SES AI at Xponential 2026, Booth 31039, to learn more about their drone battery solutions.
