LG Energy Solution (frueher LG Chem) INR18650 HG2

The LG INR18650 HG2 is a high-drain round cell in the 18650 format from LG Energy Solution (formerly LG Chem), a South Korean cell maker. It is intended for small FPV drones that need a lot of current from a small volume. The number 18650 stands for 18 mm diameter and 65 mm length.

The cell stores 3,000 mAh at 3.6 V nominal voltage, which is 10.8 Wh. According to the LG product specification it may be discharged continuously at no more than 20 A, which is 6.67C, calculated from current and capacity; at that current it is empty after about nine minutes. LG gives 4 A as the fast-charge current, about 1.3C. The weight is at most 47 g. Energy density follows from energy and weight and is lower than that of energy cells; the strength of the HG2 is current.

Weight counts towards the drone class: six cells weigh up to 282 g, already more than the 250 g that applies to the whole drone as take-off mass in EU class C0. A 6S1P pack of these cells comes to 64.8 Wh and stays far below the IATA limit of 100 Wh for spare batteries. Lithium cells must meet the tests of UN 38.3 for transport and are packed protected against short circuit. In addition, IEC 62133 covers the safety of lithium cells in portable devices; whether a cell is tested to it is stated in the manufacturer's data sheet.

When choosing, check whether the pack's hover and manoeuvre current stays below 20 A; with parallel cells the current is shared. High-drain cells such as the HG2 are often counterfeited, so buy only from reputable dealers. Internal resistance and voltage sag rise with age, and after many cycles capacity falls below 80 % of the new value. Joining cells into a pack belongs in a specialist workshop.