HPQ Silicon Inc. and its strategic partner Novacium have received an initial battery pack order from a European drone manufacturer, marking a significant step in the commercialization of high-capacity lithium-ion battery packs for drones. The order, announced on April 22, 2026, follows recent capacity testing of HPQ Silicon's GEN4 21700 cells.
Order Details and Configurations
The initial order is for an 8S2P configuration battery pack designed for high-endurance drone applications, delivering between 10,000 mAh and 13,400 mAh. Discussions are ongoing for a potential 8S3P configuration, which could deliver between 15,000 mAh and 20,100 mAh. The customer operates across professional, industrial, and defense drone markets, but remains undisclosed for confidentiality reasons.
GEN4 Performance Highlights
This order follows the announcement of GEN4 performance results on April 15, 2026, where 21700 cells achieved up to 7,030 mAh under extended-voltage test conditions, with energy densities reaching 330.9 Wh/kg and 937.5 Wh/L. Laboratory testing also demonstrated over 96% capacity retention after 100 deep-discharge cycles, supporting potential use cases requiring high endurance and repeated cycling.
Commercialization Strategy
HPQ holds exclusive North American commercialization rights for Novacium's GEN3 and GEN4 silicon-based anode materials under the HPQ ENDURA+ brand. While this order was secured in Europe, HPQ is positioned to offer 8S2P and 8S3P battery pack configurations for drone applications in North American markets.
Industry Reactions
“Drone manufacturers are actively looking for ways to extend flight time without increasing weight,” said Jed Kraiem, COO of Novacium. “GEN4 is showing exceptional and unique characteristics in that direction, and this initial order, along with ongoing discussions, reflect growing interest from advanced industrial users.”
Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon, added: “This development reflects the continued advancement of our technology toward commercial applications over the coming quarters. HPQ stands to benefit directly through its ownership stake in Novacium. More importantly, the battery pack configurations being delivered represent a foundational step toward standardized solutions that can be deployed across both European and North American markets.”
