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DARPA Develops Nuclear Waste-Powered Batteries for Next-Gen Drones

WireByte Staff · July 5, 2026

DARPA's 'Rads to Watts' program aims to create portable power sources that can last decades using radioisotopes extracted from nuclear waste. Morgan State University has won a $3.37M contract to advance this technology, which could power next-gen drones.

Key points

  • DARPA's 'Rads to Watts' program aims to develop nuclear waste-powered batteries that can last up to 30 years.
  • Morgan State University has won a $3.37M contract to advance this technology, led by the SYMPHONEE project.
  • The project aims to build next-gen radiovoltaic micro-power systems for extreme environments using radioisotopes extracted from nuclear waste.
  • Research partner Project Omega has already developed devices and will build the DARPA prototype.
  • The technology could power next-gen drones and has potential applications in extreme environments.

DARPA Develops Nuclear Waste-Powered Batteries for Next-Gen Drones

DARPA's 'Rads to Watts' program aims to create portable power sources that can last decades using radioisotopes extracted from nuclear waste. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we power devices in extreme environments.

Morgan State University has won a $3.37M contract to advance this technology, led by the SYMPHONEE project. The project aims to build next-gen radiovoltaic micro-power systems for extreme environments using radioisotopes extracted from nuclear waste.

Research partner Project Omega has already developed devices and will build the DARPA prototype. The technology could power next-gen drones and has potential applications in extreme environments.

The development of this technology is a significant step forward in the field of portable power sources. It has the potential to enable a wide range of applications, from military drones to space exploration.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.