Design and Fabrication of a Composite Battery Enclosure for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

This study presents the design and fabrication of a lightweight composite battery enclosure for high–energy-density unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The enclosure, made of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP), integrates an adjustable pressure mechanism to suppress the swelling deformation of pouch cells during charge–discharge cycles, thereby enhancing structural stability and energy density. Finite element modeling (FEM), prototype fabrication, and mechanical validation were conducted to evaluate performance. Results show that the corrugated composite enclosure maintained a safety factor above 1.25 under 3 atm internal pressure, with a total weight of 1.68 kg and an energy density of 245–280 Wh/kg. Compared with conventional aluminum housings, the composite design reduced weight by approximately 35% while maintaining sufficient structural strength. The proposed design process demonstrates the feasibility of achieving high stiffness, lightweight, and manufacturing stability, offering practical potential for UAV power systems and other high-power energy storage applications.