Measuring and Optimizing Battery Life in Aerospace and Defense

Modern aerospace and defense systems depend heavily on long-lasting, safe, and predictable battery performance. Whether powering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous field robots, soldier-carried systems, or remote sensors, mission outcomes rely on batteries that perform consistently across demanding operational conditions. However, accurately predicting and optimizing battery life remains one of the most complex challenges for engineering teams. This solution brief introduces a comprehensive approach using Keysight ATE system power supplies, the N7909A Power Dissipator Unit, and automated battery test and emulation software to measure real-world battery behavior, characterize degradation, and validate performance under mission-representative load profiles.

Battery life prediction is difficult because degradation is governed by intricate mechanisms such as SEI layer changes, lithium plating, active material loss, and dendrite formation. These chemical-level processes are rarely observable directly, yet they significantly influence long-term performance. Environmental factors add further variability: high-temperatures, deep cycles, fast-charging patterns, and field conditions all affect battery longevity. Compounding this, lithium-ion chemistries vary widely, making universal modeling approaches ineffective. Traditional laboratory characterization methods require specialized equipment, extensive test cycles, and manual processes that limit real-time insight and hinder reliability assessments.

Keysight’s unified battery test platform addresses these challenges by combining precise sourcing and loading capabilities with programmable, high-fidelity automation workflows. Engineers can replicate real-world mission demands by applying dynamic load profiles, simulating rapid-power bursts, low-current standby modes, long-duration surveillance, and the diverse operating states common in defense applications. High-resolution visualization tools track voltage, current, power, temperature, and state-of-charge (SoC) trends, enabling real-time assessment of capacity shifts, transient behaviors, and early indicators of degradation. By cycling batteries under controlled conditions, engineers can quantify capacity fade, identify state-of-health (SOH) patterns, and validate degradation models that predict operational lifespan.

The platform’s automated cycling capabilities support repeatable and statistically reliable testing. Programmable sequences allow for aggressive, multi-day mission profiles that mirror real use cases, such as UAV propulsion bursts, robotic traversal loads, and low-draw sensor operations. Engineers gain the ability to measure recovery time after high-load events, track impedance growth, and analyze degradation across hundreds or thousands of cycles. Regenerative operation minimizes energy consumption and cooling demands by returning unused energy to the facility grid—reducing operational costs while maintaining high test fidelity.

An example use case highlighted in the brief describes a defense integrator validating endurance for military UAVs and autonomous field robotics. Using Keysight’s platform, the engineering team reproduces entire mission cycles including takeoff surges, maneuvering loads, and long-duration sensor activity. They evaluate voltage stability, capacity degradation, and system resilience across consecutive cycles, obtaining accurate predictions of remaining useful life (RUL) before deployment. The ability to replay mission loads and capture high-resolution measurements accelerates readiness assessments and ultimately improves reliability in mission-critical environments.

By combining precision instrumentation with high-speed data capture and synchronized analysis, Keysight delivers a mission-ready platform for measuring and optimizing battery life. Engineers can validate battery behavior under extreme conditions, predict long-term performance with confidence, and optimize charge–discharge strategies to extend operational life. The solution simplifies multi-instrument setups, reduces workflow complexity, and increases the reliability of battery life evaluations across aerospace and defense programs.

Overall, the Keysight solution equips teams with the tools needed to ensure safe, long-lasting, and predictable battery performance for the most demanding mission profiles. From propulsion systems to autonomous sensors, the platform enables comprehensive, accurate, and repeatable battery testing without compromise.