Sourcing for drones and mobility at SFbei.
Everything in a drone or a light EV is a mass budget argument. Sourcing is where that argument is won: a better motor, a lighter structure or a smarter pack buys you range no amount of firmware will.
Three sourcing problems we watch teams hit.
Grams are the currency
Every component decision is a trade against mass. Holding three motors and three ESCs is a faster way to run that trade than a spreadsheet.
Battery compliance is its own project
UN38.3, IEC 62133, shipping classification and a BMS that will actually pass. Pack suppliers who have done it before save months.
Structures need process, not just material
Carbon layup, machined fittings and bonded joints — the supplier's process capability matters more than the material spec.
Your route
through the building.
- Floor 01
Motors, ESCs, battery cells, BMS, connectors, sensing
- Floor 03
Composite layup, machining, bonding, finishing
- Floor 02
Test rigs, thrust stands, environmental and vibration equipment
What you'll find
on the floor.
The categories most relevant to drones and mobility teams. The directory lists who covers each one.
- BLDC propulsion motors
- ESCs
- Li-ion & LiPo packs
- BMS boards
- Carbon structures
- Precision fasteners
- IMUs & GNSS
- Airspeed & lidar
- High-current connectors
- Structural adhesives
A checklist for
your first visit.
Five things that make the difference between a pleasant walk around and an afternoon that moves your programme forward.
- Bring your mass budget; suppliers will trade against it in real time on the bench.
- Ask pack suppliers for their UN38.3 and IEC 62133 test reports up front.
- Compare motor Kv and thermal derating together, not separately.
- Talk to adhesives and composites suppliers on the same visit — the joint is the design.
- Confirm shipping classification early; it changes your logistics more than your BOM.
Bring the part.
Leave with three quotes.
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