RE: One Battery or Two??
Duplicate or Eliminate any single point failure.
I have CD'd 6 IMAC's and seen redundant/batteries/switches/regulators save a 40% plane and seen dual Receivers also save a 40% Plane. In one instance the battery connection came loose in the pack, and in the other instance a single reciever went into failsafe and the plane was landed on the other receiver.
Yes you can, if wired properly, make a single pack/switch/reg provide enough current, and will probably never fail. But it is then a single point failure.
I wont risk it on my 28% much less my 42%.