SES AI Corporation has secured ISO 9001:2015 certification for its battery manufacturing facility in Chungju, South Korea, establishing a standardized quality management framework as the company expands its production of NDAA-compliant pouch cells for advanced mobility and drone applications.
The certification was granted by the Korea ESG Certification Body following an independent audit evaluating the facility’s quality management processes across the manufacture of storage batteries as well as the research and development of batteries and battery materials. The operational scope covers incoming material control, cell manufacturing, testing, inspection, traceability, corrective actions, and continuous improvement protocols.
Alongside the quality milestone, recent regulatory updates by the South Korean government have created competitive commercial conditions for exporting South Korean-produced pouch cells. Authorities raised the domestic export control energy density threshold for secondary batteries to 500Wh/kg, compared to the 350Wh/kg limit used in most other jurisdictions, simplifying trading logistics and regulatory compliance for high-energy density shipments leaving South Korea.
In response to increasing global demand for advanced drone energy solutions, SES AI has completed a scale-up of its Chungju operations. The facility now holds an annual production capacity of approximately one million Li-Metal and Li-ion pouch cells, engineered for mission profiles where payload capacity, power output, flight duration, and overall pack weight are critical factors. The manufacturing site produces high-energy and high-power density cells, including NDAA-compliant units intended for customers seeking secured, traceable supply chains in the United States and international markets.
Qichao Hu, Founder and CEO of SES AI, said, “Achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification is an important milestone as we scale our drone battery business. Drone customers need not only high energy and power density, but also manufacturing quality, traceability, consistency and a dependable supply chain. Our Chungju facility brings these capabilities together and strengthens our ability to supply NDAA-compliant pouch cells manufactured in Korea to customers in the United States and other markets.”
Hu added, “Battery manufacturing for drones is rapidly moving from small-volume specialty production toward a scaled industrial supply chain. With ISO 9001 certification, NDAA-compliant sourcing, easier export compliance, manufacturing in Korea and our expansion toward approximately one million cells of annual production capacity, we are building the foundation to serve growing demand from the global drone industry.”
