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Direct Kinetic Solutions (DKS) is committed to contributing to the future of energy technology by developing Persistent Power Solutions intended to close the power and energy gap in portable devices. This is particularly relevant for operations where access to power for charging or continuous use of devices is not always an option.
Our recent participation in Vertex, a 3-day symposium hosted by the Army Futures Command (AFC) through the Army Applications Laboratory (AAL) taught us valuable lessons, some expected, and some surprising, but all meaningful in the midst of high-level exchange of information among experts in the energy sector. These lessons sharpen our vision and validate our proposal for lighter and compact mobile energy technology, designed to provide power for extended periods of time and operate in extreme environments.
These are our main takeaways that support the Army's approach to next-gen power:
Electrification is coming whether you like it or not or you are prepared for it or not
Platform electrification is happening on both the fleet and the soldier level; both present challenges and rewards, and the tech ecosystem is actively working to ensure the best possible outcomes.
The transition to adopting range extension technologies is imperative to improve the efficiency of vehicles for all military operations.
At DKS, we are committed to facilitating the process of innovation, making available power technology for military use that bridges the gap, with long-lasting high-energy density solutions that contribute to the goals of electrification.
Our Persistent Power Sources (PPS) provide passive charging for soldiers on the go, alleviate the need for extra batteries by ensuring gear will be ready to go when needed, offer a redundant system for battery management, and maintain a low weight profile and a compact form factor thanks to their energy density advantage.
Supply Chain is a Challenge
At DKS we are in the case of obtaining advanced mobile power generation solutions, and the supply chain is, perhaps, the greatest challenge to achieving accessibility. We look at the supply chain from the perspective of making power available for operations in remote, austere, and hostile environments. Whether this is a team on a 72-hour mission or an outpost set at a target location.
Currently, the Army needs to burn fuel to take fuel to the outposts, where it will be burned to generate the power needed. Another challenging aspect is charging in remote and austere environments, which gets even more complicated when we focus on individual operators running a 72-hour mission with several devices in isolated territories.
Our technology is in tune with the vision of miniaturization and the emergence of directed energy systems for various applications that demand innovation to improve efficiencies. To supply the evident demand, easy-to-produce technology, such as DKS' power sources, contributes to overcoming the current challenges while reducing the size, weight, and power requirements for transient and continuous loads, as well as offering passive charging capabilities which are highly desired for compact on-the-move devices.
A Variety of Energy & Power Technologies is Required to Respond to a Variety of Needs
We continue to learn there is a variety of technologies available in the marketplace, geared to solve the challenges of electric power in remote locations, increasing power demands for aviation, soldier equipment, military-grade electric vehicles, and micro-grid development. There are also multiple angles being studied for advanced mobile power generation, intelligent power management, and power source mobility in the field of technologies for military use.
The opportunities for collaboration abound and range from AI to manage the charging and battery forms to liquid batteries and miniaturization of power sources for passive power and power on the go.
DKS realizes the possibilities are endless and therefore is committed to looking closely at use cases for power generation and mobility. The goal is to continue to work towards closing the power gap by expanding and enhancing technologies that generate lightweight, self-sufficient, and long-lasting power solutions that respond to the vision and needs of next-gen technology.
To learn more about each specific challenge discussed during Army Vertex, read through Use Cases at https://armyfuturescommand.com/vertex/assets/files/vetex-energy-use-cases.pdf
About Direct Kinetic Solutions
Direct Kinetic Solutions envisions becoming the power solution for future generations. The company develops, manufactures, and sells Persistent Power Sources (PPS). These devices harness the high energy density of beta-emitting isotopes and utilize their continuous, and steady emission of energy to generate current that can be utilized to directly power devices, charge chemical batteries, or work as complements to other power sources, such as solar.
For more information, please visit directkinetics.com/contact
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