Batteries for UGVs and Ground Drones from PAWELL
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) have changed the rules of the modern battlefield. From demining and logistics to medical evacuation and strike missions, these machines perform the most dangerous work instead of humans. But no matter how advanced the chassis or combat module is, the efficiency of any UGV directly depends on its "heart" — the battery.
A UGV battery is not a consumer-grade power bank; it is a specialized engineering product designed to withstand dirt, moisture, frost, severe vibration, and the harshest field conditions, all while delivering maximum current on the operator's demand. In this article, we will examine which ground drones operate on the Ukrainian front today, the government requirements for their power supply, and how PAWELL manufactures UGV batteries to meet any technical specifications.
What is a UGV and Why Does It Need a High-Quality Battery?
An Unmanned Ground Vehicle is a remotely controlled or semi-autonomous platform that performs tasks in environments where the cost of an error is human life. In recent years, UGVs have evolved from experimental prototypes into a permanent element of combat formations: they transport ammunition and water to positions, evacuate the wounded and damaged equipment from the "gray zone," clear paths through minefields, conduct surveillance, and even perform strike operations.
UGV Application Categories by Mission Type
Regardless of the manufacturer, all ground robotic complexes are divided into several functional groups — and each sets its own specific requirements for the battery.
Strike / Fire Support: Platforms equipped with a remotely controlled combat module (machine gun, grenade launcher, turret). The battery operates under the most severe conditions here: it simultaneously powers the drivetrain, platform stabilization, and targeting electronics. The primary requirement is high peak discharge current without voltage drops during firing or sharp maneuvers.
Kamikaze (Single-Use Assault): A distinct subcategory designed to destroy fortifications or armored vehicles by detonation. The battery undergoes only one short operational cycle at boosted power, so the priority shifts from cycle lifespan to maximum specific energy at minimal weight.
Reconnaissance and Surveillance: Compact, low-profile platforms for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and signal relay. They can remain in position for hours in standby mode, so the key characteristic is a large capacity in a compact form factor and a low self-discharge rate during standby.
Logistics and Evacuation: Transporting ammunition, water, and medical supplies, as well as evacuating the wounded or damaged equipment from the kill zone. Here, the UGV battery must sustain stable voltage under constant mechanical load — traversing off-road terrain, climbing inclines, and carrying a full payload.
Engineering and Demining: Mine clearance, installing or removing barriers, laying cable lines, and other technical operations in the field. Battery endurance is critical for these complexes: they must complete a full mission cycle without recharging, withstanding impacts, vibration, and hours of continuous operation far from the base.
In practice, the boundaries between UGV categories are blurred. The same chassis is often adapted for multiple roles simultaneously, which is why manufacturers increasingly order custom-designed battery packs tailored to a specific application profile rather than standard off-the-shelf units. Understanding this market specificity, PAWELL offers custom power solutions for all UGVs — from lightweight scouts to heavy logistics platforms.
The main reason for the rapid growth in UGV popularity is a simple equation: a robot can be replaced, a human cannot. Where kamikaze drones and artillery make infantry movement across open terrain deadly, a ground drone takes over the routine and most high-risk missions. In each of these scenarios, it is the battery that determines whether the robot delivers the cargo, extracts the wounded, manages to return — or simply stops halfway due to a depleted power source.
The Most Popular UGVs on the Frontline: A Model Overview
Over the past few years, a whole new class of domestic ground robots has emerged in Ukraine, each solving a specific niche task.
TerMIT — A tracked complex that has become one of the symbols of Ukrainian demining. Thanks to its low silhouette and low center of gravity, it overcomes off-road terrain, steep slopes, and trenches. In a hostile minefield, it can clear a path up to 50 meters long and 6 meters wide. The new iteration of the platform carries up to 300 kg of payload, and the battery charge lasts for several hours of continuous operation.
TarGun ("Тарган") — A compact wheeled UGV that can be transported in a minivan or on a car trailer, while the robot itself can carry up to 200 kg of cargo — ammunition, food, or gear. The platform has proven so versatile that it serves as a base for evacuation modifications (extracting wounded personnel and damaged drones from the gray zone) and combat variants equipped with the "Shablya" remote weapon station for suppressive fire.
Ratel X ("Ратель") — One of the first Ukrainian kamikaze UGVs: a platform carrying an enhanced explosive charge used to destroy enemy armor and demolish fortifications where other assets were ineffective. The Ratel's operational experience demonstrated a principle that now defines the development of this entire vehicle class: every UGV model is engineered for a specific combat mission, and the battery requirements directly stem from that mission.
The list is actively expanding: Gulliver, Gnom-LM, Volya-E, heavy platforms like Protector, and dozens of lesser-known models undergoing codification by the Ministry of Defense. The payload capacity of this equipment class ranges from 15 kg for light kamikaze drones to over 1,000 kg for heavy logistics platforms, with speed and range varying drastically.
!! Important nuance: A "universal" UGV battery does not exist. Due to the colossal differences in payload capacity and mission profiles, every combat platform requires an exclusively individual approach to power system design.
Key Requirements for UGV Batteries
Tracks, manipulators, thermal imagers, and communication systems are all useless without a power source capable of surviving field conditions. Therefore, the government sets strict conditions specifically for batteries in technical requirements for UGV procurement tenders:
Quick-Swap Design: UGV batteries must be replaceable on position in a matter of minutes, without tools or special operator training.
Fast Charging: Charging power must reach up to 2.5–3 kW in field conditions from 1.5+ kW generators. There is simply no time for slow equipment recovery on the frontline.
Mandatory Backup Set: Every complex must have a spare set of batteries so the robot does not turn into a stationary target due to a single depleted section.
Deployment Time: The entire complex, including power connection and system checks, must be ready for operation in a maximum of 20 minutes.
Stability Under Load: The battery powers not only the drivetrain but also communication systems (Starlink, radio channels, GSM/3G/4G/5G modules) and therefore must not allow voltage drops during peak current draws.
Different Load Profiles: A light 15 kg kamikaze with a 20 km range and a heavy 1,000 kg logistics platform with a 50 km range require fundamentally different battery solutions in terms of capacity, discharge current, and form factor.
This is why the industry is increasingly taking the path long proven in aviation and electric transport: developing a specific battery solution for a specific chassis, mission, and budget, rather than a "universal battery for everything."
PAWELL UGV Batteries: Custom Power for Any Technical Specification
PAWELL designs and manufactures battery packs for Unmanned Ground Vehicles of all classes — from light reconnaissance platforms to heavy logistics robots with up to a ton of payload capacity. We do not ask UGV manufacturers to adapt their design to a pre-made battery; conversely, the UGV battery is engineered specifically to fit the customer's existing chassis and electronics.
1. Individual Parameters: The customer specifies key characteristics — operating voltage, capacity, maximum discharge current, type and layout of military connectors, and dimensions of the mounting compartment. The final result is a battery that serves as a native element of their platform, not a hasty compromise.
2. Cell Chemistry Tailored to the Task: We utilize three primary cell types in production, and the choice is always an engineering compromise between safety, energy density, and cycle life:
Chemistry | Key Advantages | Best For |
LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) | The highest level of thermal stability, resistance to sub-zero temperatures, and physical damage. | The baseline choice for platforms operating in direct fire contact zones. |
Li-NMC (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt) | Higher specific energy density with less weight and size. | Critical for light and fast platforms where every extra kilogram reduces the operational range. |
Solid-State | The next generation of chemistry, combining high energy density with enhanced safety. | Implemented for customers who require maximum autonomy at the absolute minimum weight. |
3. Swap & Go Format: PAWELL batteries are manufactured as quick-swap modules with durable ergonomic handles and protected contacts. Replacing a battery at a field position takes minutes and requires no tools. Each battery supports fast field charging up to 2.5–3 kW from generators, and a mandatory backup set is immediately included in the package.
4. Intelligent BMS: Every PAWELL battery is equipped with a Battery Management System board that monitors temperature, cell balance, and load current. It withstands peak starting currents during off-road movement and stably powers all communication channels without voltage sagging.
5. Serial Production: PAWELL does not build batteries individually; we manufacture them in batches with repeatable quality from the first to the thousandth unit. This is critical for manufacturers supplying equipment under government contracts, who must guarantee identical performance specifications across every batch.
6. Proven Field Experience: Even before entering the UGV sector, the company gained extensive practical experience producing batteries for adjacent fields — UAV and FPV drone batteries, where requirements for reliability, weight, and stability under load are just as stringent. We transfer this expertise to UGV battery manufacturing: applying the same rigorous approaches to cell quality control, pack assembly, and load testing.
7. Certification: PAWELL products undergo the necessary testing and certification required for dual-use equipment. This allows PAWELL batteries to be seamlessly integrated into systems supplied under Ministry of Defense state contracts.
How PAWELL Batteries Meet the Requirements of State Tenders for 50,000 UGVs
In 2026, the state announced a massive goal: to procure 50,000 Unmanned Ground Vehicles through a series of transparent, competitive tenders.
The procedure consists of two stages: first, the participant confirms technical compliance via a comparative matrix; then, a pricing round takes place, where, given equal technical characteristics, the lowest battery price wins.
A significant portion of the tender's technical requirements focuses specifically on the energy component of the complex, and PAWELL batteries are engineered to meet them directly:
1. Power and Fast Charging: Quick-swap format, 2.5–3 kW charging from field generators, and a mandatory backup set — all of this is inherently built into PAWELL battery designs from the start.
2. Endurance Under Load: With UGV payloads ranging from 15 kg to 1,000 kg, speeds from 12 to 40 km/h, and the need to power communication systems without voltage drops, our intelligent BMS and discharge current headroom ensure stable operation even at the upper limits of the chassis's capabilities.
3. Readiness for Future Infrastructure Challenges: The industry is actively discussing field hybrid charging stations and the integration of diesel generators directly onboard UGVs for charging on the move. PAWELL batteries are designed with integration into such hybrid power systems in mind.
4. Codification and Tender Admission: A mandatory condition for participation is an NSN (NATO Stock Number) codification for the product; without it, a company will not be admitted to the tender. Utilizing certified PAWELL batteries, assembled according to documented quality standards, simplifies the technical review process for UGV manufacturers and streamlines obtaining NSN codification for the finalized complex.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About UGV Batteries
1. What battery is needed for a UGV?
It depends on the platform class. A light 15–20 kg kamikaze UGV requires a compact, lightweight battery with high specific energy density (Li-NMC), whereas a heavy 500–1,000 kg logistics platform requires a high-capacity, thermally stable LiFePO4 battery with high discharge current. There is no universal solution: parameters are selected for specific chassis and mission requirements.
2. What is the difference between LiFePO4 and Li-NMC batteries for UGVs?
LiFePO4 is more resistant to overheating, severe frost, and mechanical damage — making it the optimal choice for equipment operating under enemy fire. Li-NMC is lighter and more compact for the same capacity, making it the preferred choice for fast, lightweight platforms where every hundred grams matters.
3. Can I order a UGV battery customized to my technical specifications?
Yes. The Ukrainian company PAWELL develops batteries according to the customer's technical specifications — including voltage, capacity, discharge current, connector type, and mounting compartment dimensions — followed by a transition to serial production.
4. Does PAWELL have the certification necessary to participate in state tenders?
PAWELL products undergo the testing and certification required for dual-use equipment, which simplifies the process for UGV manufacturers to pass technical reviews and obtain NSN codification for the finished complex.
5. How long does it take to manufacture a batch of UGV batteries?
Lead times depend on the batch volume and the complexity of the technical specifications. PAWELL works with both small runs for testing prototypes and large batches for supply contracts. Precise timelines are coordinated individually for each order.
The combat readiness of modern UGVs is determined not only by their chassis or armor but by the quality of their battery system. A quick-swap battery capable of surviving frontline conditions is a detail invisible in photos but decisive in position. Whether you are developing ground platforms, preparing for state tenders, or looking to increase the autonomy of existing equipment — you need a solution built precisely for your missions.
