The U.S. military's advanced research arm is reportedly working on batteries that could keep drones running for as long as three decades without a recharge, using an unlikely fuel source: nuclear waste.
According to Tom's Hardware, citing a report, DARPA — the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — is pursuing a project called SYMPHONEE aimed at building "radiovoltaic" batteries with up to 30 years of endurance to power next-generation military drones.
The key ingredient is Strontium-90, a radioactive byproduct found in nuclear waste. Tom's Hardware reports that the project aims to harvest Strontium-90 and convert the energy from its radioactive decay into electricity, creating a long-lived power source rather than a conventional rechargeable battery.
The goal, per the report, is "persistent" drones — aircraft that could stay operational far longer than today's battery- or fuel-powered systems allow, without the need for frequent servicing or recharging.
It's worth noting the reporting is based on a report about DARPA's plans, and the technology is described as upcoming rather than deployed. Radiovoltaic batteries turn radioactive decay directly into power, a concept that has existed for decades in niche applications but has generally delivered only small amounts of energy.
Why it matters: a battery measured in decades rather than hours would reshape what long-endurance surveillance and military drones can do — while also raising fresh questions about putting nuclear materials into widely deployed aircraft.