UK battery developer Lincad has developed a charger that can read a battery’s state of charge and discharge it to the level deemed safe for air transport.
The Mk2 Charger can discharge any chemistry of battery to below 30% of its rated capacity, the maximum that batteries may have before they can be flown on aircraft under recent IATA regulations.
“We have gone through testing and the charger can read the batteries of any electrochemistry, and fully discharge them to sub 30%,” said operations manager Peter Copplestone.
“The charger can provide all those involved in the supply chain with an easy way to ensure that any lithium-ion batteries can be shipped in full compliance with the new IATA regulations.”
The Caravel Mk2 can also discharge batteries to a state of charge most suitable for long-term battery storage, the firm says.
In the meantime, two more national armies have agreed to buy the firm’s LIPS batteries, which have been used by the UK military since 2000.
Australia and Denmark will now source batteries for their military from Lincad.
