Forthcoming Funding Round Update

As a reminder, we will soon be launching a new funding round on Crowdcube as we move towards commercialisation of our offerings.  If you are interested in finding out more, then you can pre-register your interest via the dedicated Crowdcube page (capital at risk as always)

Crowdcube are still coming back with final questions on the due diligence before the new pitch can go live but we are nearly there I think. Part of the problem is that there has been a succession of new developments that we want to get into the pitch so we have had to update it twice, which means new questions from Crowdcube each time. Hopefully we should be able to get the pitch live next week.

Blast Test on the Hilux Belly Plate Design

Following the complete failure of the first test using the 6mm thick main belly plate last year we have now successfully tested a modified version using exactly the same 6mm plates which failed last time. A very heavy 6kg test on a jig (heavy because of the ground conditions) gave about 230mm deformation without penetration, whilst a 4kg test gave only 50mm permanent deformation at the back face, with a jump height within the performance limits of stroking blast seats.

The jump height of the 6kg test was far more than blast seats could mitigate so whilst we could deal with the penetration threat with 6kg it would need the active Linear Rocket Motors to control the jump height which could make the system too expensive for many light vehicle applications.

So the emerging conclusion is that we have a 4kg capable solution, which we believe is considerably better than current options, probably twice what anyone else has achieved on such a light vehicle.

Furthermore, we now have good data on the novel combination of elements we have used in this belly plate design, which will be further elucidated during the current UK MOD DSTL/DASA test programme which will be completed over the next 2 or 3 months.

We think that we have discovered a potentially patentable combination of design elements that have not been used together before and they may provide a desirable mixture of both shock attenuation and reduced deformation/weight, albeit in a more complicated structure than a plain sheet of armour steel.

This may prove ideal for use with larger armoured vehicle designs, particularly combined with the active Linear Rocket Motors.  We will see what the market thinks about it.

Global Marketing Channel Development

There has been extensive development of the global marketing channel and strengthening of the ABBS team since the first Crowdcube round nine months ago. We now have strong representation covering the whole Asia-Pacific region via a new recruit to the Team, Steve O’Connor (based in Singapore), with specific agreements either in place or being discussed for Japan, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Turkey, South Africa, many ex-French Colonial countries in North, West and East Africa, and options for the UAE and maybe Saudi Arabia. There is  already our existing operation in the USA of course.

Our new agents in India and Turkey are being very pro-active and have had good responses from their key targets which we are following up and there are potential joint manufacturing operation opportunities in both these locations, as there is in the Middle East.

The eVTOL Zero-Zero Safety System

There has been a real, game-changing breakthrough in this market via a proposed agreement with another major US player in the market. No more information to release at this time but the deal should be signed and sealed within the next two weeks.

We have also been approached by a local UK eVTOL project looking to start a programme to demonstrate the effectiveness of a Zero-Zero safety system on their aircraft if their funding from a Stock Exchange listing comes through.

These two items match beautifully together.

US Army/Pentagon Project Proposal

Again, we can’t say much, only that a major proposal has been made (not by us) for a significant, long term development programme relating to the land vehicle protection system.

New Enquiry for Blast Protected Containers

We have received an un-solicited proposal for blast proof containers.  This is something we know well in terms of the technology used currently, and there is direct read-across from the vehicle belly plate design described above. This could either come to nothing or it could become a major new development line for a standard, high volume product using our existing technology, so it will be interesting to see how it develops.

BFBS Video on You Tube

In case you haven’t picked it up yet, the British Forces Broadcasting Service video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5sbBKdftNQ has now had over 768,000 views since 11^th January, and has raised a lot of interest, including that from the Pentagon. Excellent free publicity potentially leading to major funding for development, which can’t be bad.

New Products From Other Suppliers Added to Our Product Portfolio.

• We have an agreement with an Israeli supplier of armoured vehicle blast seats to develop at their own cost crashworthy stroking seats for use in eVTOL aircraft and they have now appointed someone to oversee the design and development of this product specifically for the eVTOL industry. These seats will be offered to the market as an integral part of our safety package.
• We are in the midst of agreeing heads of terms for the supply of a novel fire resistant prepreg for battery boxes for eVTOL’s and other fire-resistant applications on the aircraft from an associated UK prepreg manufacturer.This new prepreg type is much better than the current standard phenolic prepreg systems which are unpleasant to use due to the toxic ingredients in the material.Containing fires in the very large battery boxes used in the eVTOL’s is a serious issue, and this material has already been certified for use in the application. We may also supply other products in the supplier’s prepreg range for other applications in other markets.