China’s New Battery Sets Cold-Weather Record, Flying Drone in -32.8°F

Valentina Kraljik March 17, 2025March 17, 2025

Chinas New Battery Sets Cold Weather Record Flying Drone in 32.8°F

Chinese scientists have created a powerful new battery that works in extreme cold, setting a new record for drone flight in freezing temperatures. Researchers from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully tested their new lithium battery in Mohe City, Heilongjiang Province—one of the coldest places in China.

The battery-powered drone flew smoothly at -32.8°F (-36°C), proving that it can function in harsh winter conditions. Unlike regular lithium batteries, which struggle in the cold, this advanced technology maintains stable performance even when temperatures drop.

According to the research team, the battery can operate in temperatures from -40°F to 122°F (-40°C to 50°C), with less than 10% energy loss at -40°F. In comparison, standard lithium batteries lose 30-50% of their efficiency in extreme cold.

The successful test flight marks a major achievement for battery technology. With this breakthrough, drones could be used for missions in polar regions, border patrols, emergency rescues, and remote deliveries.

“Our goal is to push the boundaries of lithium battery technology to ensure reliable energy solutions for the most demanding environments,” said Chen Zhongwei, the director of the Power Battery and Systems Research Center at DICP.

China’s new battery could also improve energy storage for electric vehicles, space missions, and remote power stations, making it a game-changer for cold-weather technology.

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Valentina Kraljik

Valentina Kraljik is a writer and editor with a deep love for video games, especially action RPGs, it's not the fetch quests that she enjoys the most - it's the absolute freedom that (mostly) open worlds offer. She doesn’t shy away from a good FPS either, no matter how humiliating her K/D ratio is. With a background in Information Sciences, she brings both insight and passion to her writing, always aiming to break down games in a way that’s engaging and objective. After 15 years of playing World of Warcraft, she finally managed to break free (though the urge to resubscribe is always lurking). The last game that truly won her over was S.T.A.L.K.E.R. II.