DARPA plans 30-year endurance nuclear waste batteries to power next-gen drones, says report — project SYMPHONEE aims to harvest Strontium-90 to power persistent military drones

Batteries that can last decades between recharges or renewals are the stuff of tech enthusiast dreams. However, DARPA’s ‘Rads to Watts’ program could bring forth unrivaled portable power, lasting decades, via the development of a new class of radiovoltaic devices. Morgan State University recently won a $3.37M DARPA contract to advance this tech, and a report by Defense One suggests upcoming nuclear waste-powered batteries could last as long as 30 years and power next-gen drones.

Morgan State now has a considerable sum to keep its researchers employed on a project dubbed SYMPHONEE (Strontium-Yttrium Multi-junction PIN-based High-Density Output Nano-system for Extreme Environments). Radioisotope power sources have been used for quite some time in low-power draw applications such as smoke detectors and space systems for decades. However, the new initiative, led by Morgan State and with team members such as Northrop Grumman, PNNL, Project Omega, ARA, and Widetronix, aims to take the tech into the next generation. More specifically, under the auspices of (and with funds from) the ‘Rads to Watts’ program, they are aiming to build next‑generation radiovoltaic micro‑power systems for extreme environments.

The proposed next-gen power cells make use of radioisotopes extracted from nuclear waste, especially Strontium‑90. Research partner Project Omega has already made some devices and will build the DARPA prototype. We noticed that it has published a promotional video that highlights sea drones with a 10-year battery life, for example. Coordinated by Morgan State researchers, PNNL labs will handle nuclear materials/testing, Northrop Grumman and ARA will provide AI-driven modeling, with Widetronix designing nuclear micro‑generator radiovoltaic converter architectures.

“Our team is pushing the boundaries of radiovoltaic technology, developing high-power, long-life systems that were not previously achievable,” said Professor Michael Spencer, the technical lead for the project. “By integrating advanced materials, device engineering, and nuclear science, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of persistent power systems for extreme environments.”

With this research, development, and fabrication powerhouse assembled, it is hoped a step change will be achieved to boost radiovoltaic micro‑power system power density. The goal is to be able to power persistent autonomous operations in remote or difficult-to-access environments like space, underwater, and contested regions – for decades. A Northrop Grumman rep emphasized the potential of a ‘persistent power source’ becoming available for “next-generation defense systems.” Project Omega is also interested in developing “persistent underwater security systems” – sea drones.

It is also somewhat positive to imagine that substances long considered to be highly undesirable waste products could end up being strategic assets.