# SES AI Expands Chungju Drone Battery Production

SES AI has raised annual production capacity at its Chungju, South Korea plant to one million NDAA-compliant drone battery cells and plans to expand capacity to three million cells by Q2 2027. Drone original equipment manufacturers and battery-pack makers are conducting quality audits, creating a supplier-qualification opportunity for defense-oriented drone supply chains. The announcement reports no government award, solicitation, or contract value.

- Drone manufacturers and battery-pack suppliers can evaluate SES AI’s cells through the ongoing quality-audit process as a potential supply source.
- The planned Q2 2027 expansion could increase available capacity, but buyers should distinguish the announced production target from capacity already online.
- Contractors sourcing NDAA-compliant components may assess the cells against their own procurement and qualification needs; the signal does not specify particular compliance criteria or a government requirement.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 09, 2026

### Vendors
- SES AI Corporation (Drone battery-cell manufacturer)

### Sources
- [SES AI Completes Ramp of Korea Drone Battery Plant to One Million NDAA-Compliant Cells Per Year, and Plans to Further Expand to Three Million NDAA-Compliant Cells Per Year by Second Quarter 2027 - Batteries News](https://batteriesnews.com/ses-ai-completes-ramp-of-korea-drone-battery-plant-to-one-million-ndaa-compliant-cells-per-year-and-plans-to-further-expand-to-three-million-ndaa-compliant-cells-per-year-by-second-quarter-2027) - Batteries News