SES AI Secures Significant Purchase Order From Data Blanket to Power AI-Driven Drones for Forest Fire Management and Border Patrol

Rhea-AI Summary

SES AI (NYSE: SES) has secured a significant purchase order from Data Blanket for AI-enhanced Li-Metal and Li-ion batteries to power AI-driven drones for forest fire management and border patrol applications. The initial shipments were delivered in December 2024, with the remaining deliveries expected by mid-2025.

The batteries offer higher energy density and power compared to conventional Li-ion batteries, enabling longer drone flight times. Data Blanket's drones provide rapid, firsthand data and images to firefighters, enhancing their operational capabilities. The company plans to expand the use of SES systems across its growing product line, leveraging SES's Li-Metal technology and AI-enabled management and safety systems for operations in harsh environments.

Positive

• Secured significant purchase order from Data Blanket
• Initial shipments already delivered in December 2024
• Confirmed delivery schedule through mid-2025
• Technology enables longer drone operation times compared to conventional batteries
• Potential for expanded business relationship across Data Blanket's product line

Negative

• Purchase order value not disclosed

Insights

Technology Analyst

This purchase order marks a pivotal moment for SES AI, representing the company's first major commercial validation in the specialized drone battery market. The AI-enhanced Li-Metal and Li-ion batteries offer two critical advantages that could reshape the drone industry: superior energy density and enhanced power output. These characteristics directly address the primary limitation of current drone technology - flight duration.

The strategic partnership with Data Blanket is particularly noteworthy as it targets high-value applications in forest fire management and border patrol. These use cases require reliable, long-duration flight capabilities in challenging environments, creating a compelling showcase for SES AI's technology. The successful deployment could open doors to additional government contracts and emergency service applications.

The phased delivery schedule, extending from December 2024 to mid-2025, suggests a substantial order volume and indicates strong confidence in SES AI's production capabilities. Data Blanket's intention to expand this cooperation across their product line points to potential recurring revenue streams and larger future orders.

From a market perspective, this development positions SES AI at the intersection of three rapidly growing sectors: advanced battery technology, drone applications and AI-driven solutions. The global commercial drone market is projected to expand significantly, with specialized applications like firefighting and surveillance leading the growth. SES AI's ability to deliver enhanced performance in these demanding applications could accelerate their market penetration and establish them as a preferred supplier in the high-performance drone battery segment.

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SES AI Corporation “SES AI” (NYSE: SES), a global leader in the development and manufacturing of AI-enhanced high-performance Li-Metal and Li-ion batteries, today announced that it has received a significant purchase order from Data Blanket, a global leader in AI-driven drones.

The purchase order is for high energy density and high-power density AI-enhanced Li-Metal and Li-ion batteries. These batteries will support the use of AI-driven drones in forest fire management and border patrol. SES AI delivered initial shipments of the AI-enhanced batteries in December 2024 and expects to deliver the balance by mid-2025.

SES AI Founder and CEO Qichao Hu commented, “These AI-driven drones from Data Blanket help provide rapid, safe, and firsthand data and images to firefighters and help them do their jobs and save lives. We are incredibly proud to be supplying our batteries to Data Blanket on this mission. The higher energy density and power that our AI- enhanced batteries can provide keep these drones in the air longer than conventional Li-ion batteries.”

Data Blanket CEO Omer Bar-Yohay added, “The technology SES has brought to maturity, from Li-Metal to AI-enabled management and safety systems, is an enabling combination for us at Data Blanket. It allows longer operations and the safe deployment of batteries in harsh environments. We expect to grow this cooperation and include SES systems across our growing product line.”

About SES AI:

SES AI Corp. (NYSE: SES) is powering the future of global electric transportation on land and in the air with the world’s most advanced Li-Metal batteries. SES AI is the first battery company in the world to accelerate its pace of innovation by utilizing superintelligent AI across the spectrum of its business, from research and development; materials sourcing; cell design; engineering and manufacturing; to battery health and safety monitoring. Founded in 2012, SES AI is an Li-Metal battery developer and manufacturer headquartered in Boston and with operations in Singapore, Shanghai, and Seoul. Learn more at SES.AI.

SES AI may use its website as a distribution channel of material company information. Financial and other important information regarding SES AI is routinely posted on and accessible through the Company’s website at www.ses.ai. Accordingly, investors should monitor this channel, in addition to following SES AI’s press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that SES AI believes are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to expectations for future financial performance, business strategies or expectations for our business. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of SES AI. Although SES AI believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot provide assurance that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “can”, “continue”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “intend”, “may”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “potential”, “predict”, “project”, “seek”, “should”, “strive”, “target”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Should one or more of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties materialize, or should any of SES AI’s assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to the following risks: risks related to the development and commercialization of SES AI’s battery technology and the timing and achievement of expected business milestones; risks relating to the uncertainty of achieving and maintaining profitability; risks relating to the uncertainty of meeting future capital requirements; the ability of SES to integrate its products into electric vehicles (“EVs”) and Urban Air Mobility (“UAM"), drones and other applications; the risk that delays in the pre-manufacturing development of SES AI’s battery cells could adversely affect SES AI’s business and prospects; the market for air mobility, and for use of Li-Metal technology in air mobility applications, is still emerging and may not achieve the growth potential we expect; the risk that the market for SES AI’s AI-based services is still emerging, and its AI programs may not achieve the growth potential SES AI expects; risks relating to the development of the UAM market and demand for batteries from the UAM industry; potential supply chain difficulties; the ability of SES AI to engage target original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) customers successfully and integrate SES AI’s products into EVs manufactured by OEM customers; the ability to obtain raw materials, components or equipment through new or existing supply relationships; our use of artificial intelligence and machine learning may result in legal and regulatory risk; risks resulting from SES AI’s joint development agreements and other strategic alliances and investments; product liability and other potential litigation, regulation and legal compliance; SES AI’s ability to attract, train and retain highly skilled employees and key personnel; developments in alternative technology or other fossil fuel alternatives; risks related to SES AI’s intellectual property; business, regulatory, political, operational, financial and economic risks related to SES AI’s business operations outside the United States; SES AI’s failure to satisfy certain NYSE listing requirements may result in its Class A common stock being delisted from the NYSE, which could eliminate or adversely affect the trading market for SES AI’s Class A common stock; the volatility of SES AI’s common stock and value of SES AI’s public warrants; and the other risks described in “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 27, 2024 and other documents filed from time to time with the SEC. There may be additional risks that SES AI presently knows and/or believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect SES AI’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views only as of the date of this press release. SES AI anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its assessments to change. However, while SES AI may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, SES AI specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing SES AI’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

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Source: SES AI Corporation

FAQ

What is the purpose of SES AI's battery order from Data Blanket?

SES AI's batteries will power Data Blanket's AI-driven drones used for forest fire management and border patrol operations.

When will SES AI complete the delivery of batteries to Data Blanket?

SES AI began initial shipments in December 2024 and expects to complete all deliveries by mid-2025.

What advantages do SES AI's batteries offer for drone operations?

SES AI's batteries provide higher energy density and power compared to conventional Li-ion batteries, enabling longer drone flight times.

How will Data Blanket use SES AI's battery technology?

Data Blanket will use the batteries in their AI-driven drones to provide rapid, real-time data and images to firefighters, and plans to expand SES systems across their product line.