Aerospace

India-based energy-tech startup Dreamfly Innovations has raised almost US$328,000 in non-dilutive venture debt from SIDBI. The proceeds will be used to support working capital and expand manufacturing capacity as the company scales operations.

Backed by Avaana Capital, Dreamfly Innovations designs and manufactures advanced smart battery systems for drones, aviation, and aerospace applications. The firm focuses on lithium solid-state and graphene-based batteries, built to deliver higher energy density, improved safety, and better thermal performance.

Lyten has announced the official launch of two products at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show: Lyten 3D Graphene™ enhanced 3D printing filament and a structural epoxy adhesive purpose built for high temperature applications in motorsports, defense and aerospace.

Lyten announced PA1205, a Lyten 3D Graphene - infused PA12-based 3D printing filament, alongside the 6120HT high-temperature structural epoxy adhesive. Both products are built on the company’s 3D Graphene platform, designed to increase stiffness, strength, and thermal tolerance of polymers and composites while reducing weight relative to metal or conventional reinforced systems.

Solidion Technology has announced that it is in the process of commercializing a pouch cell for specific use in industrial and military drones.

These pouch cells are said to have high power stability (a 9.5Ah pouch cell retains approximately 95% of capacity at 10c), which the Company says give sit a competitive edge, as most pouch cells on the market retain 78% of capacity at 5c, it claims.

Researchers from Beijing University of Technology, Harbin University and Peking University have developed a graphene-based metasurface designed for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption in high-speed aerospace applications.

Modern aircraft require materials that combine low density, flexibility, high-temperature stability, and effective EMW attenuation. To address these requirements, the research team applied a subtractive laser patterning technique to graphene@silica fabric (G@SF) synthesized via chemical vapor deposition.

Volatus Aerospace, a Canadian company focused on aerial intelligence and unmanned aircraft systems, and VoltaXplore, a joint venture between Martinrea International and NanoXplore aimed at commercializing the production of graphene-enhanced lithium-ion batteries for the electric vehicle market, have announced the signing of a Letter of Intent for the future supply of Canadian-made lithium-ion battery cells to power Volatus’ next-generation drones.

This strategic agreement strengthens Volatus’ product differentiation and supply chain security while positioning both companies for growth across civil, defense, and Arctic surveillance markets. By securing a domestic source of advanced, silicon-dominant battery cells, Volatus strengthens domestic sourcing and supply management, enhances technological self-reliance, and aligns with anticipated federal investments in Canadian manufacturing capacity.

Cerebral Energy, a company that develops next-gen energy systems with advanced materials derived from US waste streams for the US Department of Defense and other federal agencies, has announced it has been selected by Space Development Agency (SDA) for a Phase II SBIR follow-on contract in the amount of $2 million to support further development of a new graphene based secondary battery derived from recycled US waste streams. 

The technology was originally designed and prototyped by NASA scientists and is being commercialized by Cerebral Energy to support improved satellite power in SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). The novel graphene solid state battery architecture previously achieved over 500 W/h Kg energy density in lab prototypes. Cerebral’s graphene battery is over 3X more efficient than conventional lithium-ion batteries, much safer (no fire risk), up to 100X faster charging and has no supply chain challenges since the materials are derived from abundant US waste streams. Cerebral will be examining scalable additive manufacturing techniques for SDA in the Phase II project with additional support by AFWERX and AFRL.

U.S-based Ascent Solar Technologies, focused on the design and manufacturing of lightweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, has announced the signing of a teaming agreement with Emtel Energy USA, a provider of graphene-based electrostatic long duration energy storage (ELDES). 

The agreement is intended to achieve mutually beneficial goals that would advance Emtel Energy’s energy storage capabilities and aid the proliferation of thin-film PV solutions in space environments.

Zentek has announced the completion of the Innovative Solutions Canada - Testing Stream contract for ZenARMOR™ nano-pigment in military grade, chromate-free corrosion protection aerospace paint systems, and a new collaboration with Jazeera Paints Company for continued product development and testing.

ZenARMOR™ was evaluated in commercial non-chromate aviation paint systems developed by PPG and Akzo Nobel. Three rounds of corrosion testing were completed from September 2023 to July 2024 and testing followed ASTM B117 (salt spray) and ASTM D5894 (cyclical corrosion) standards. The tests were reportedly successful in demonstrating the effectiveness of ZenARMOR™ nano-pigments in inhibiting corrosion of the aluminum alloy AA2024-T3.

SmartIR, a University of Manchester spinout, has announced that graphene-based adaptive radiator has launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-12 as part of Mission 2, a collaboration with Hydra Space and Alba Orbital.

This mission addresses a critical challenge in the space sector: the need for cost-effective thermal management solutions. Current low-orbit satellites often rely on heaters, which increase power consumption, while long-orbit satellites utilize heavy and bulky systems such as thermal louvres. SmartIR’s graphene-based radiator offers a solution to this problem, enabling satellites to flexibly manage thermal energy. The technology fully vents heat from all surfaces when in Earth’s shadow and selectively shields only the side exposed to the sun during orbit.

Volt Carbon Technologies, in collaboration with Downsview Aerospace Innovation & Research (DAIR), has announced that both Volt Carbon's southern Ontario-based mineral processing operation (Toronto) and its subsidiary, Solid UltraBattery (Guelph), have been selected as recipients of the DAIR Green Fund.

The funded projects include: 1) "Development of High-Performance Carbon Materials for Aerospace Industries" and 2) "Advancements in Low-Temperature Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries." These initiatives aim to advance battery solutions for unmanned aerial systems and enhance the capabilities of graphite and graphene in aerospace materials.