UND-led project strengthens U.S. “mine-to-battery” pathway for next-gen drone power
UND researchers are working with Packet Digital and North Dakota mineral producers to create better battery materials and open a new testing lab for American-made drone batteries.
From long-range inspections to emergency response, drone missions are only as strong as the batteries that power them.
A new UND project aims to improve drone batteries and ensure the materials used to make them are sourced in the United States.
The North Dakota Industrial Commission’s Renewable Energy Program is giving $500,000 to a $1 million project led by UND called “Empowering the Critical Minerals for Novel Cathode Materials-based Drone Batteries.”
The project is led by Xiaodong Hou and Nolan Theaker from the College of Engineering & Mines’ Center for Process Engineering Research.
The main goal is to develop new and better cathode materials — crucial parts of lithium-ion batteries — to power the next generation of drones.
Building a North Dakota-to-drone battery pathway
UND and Packet Digital are working to make all the battery materials in the U.S., using North Dakota’s resources. This includes nickel and cobalt from Talon Metals, lithium from Wellspring Hydro, and rare earth elements produced by UND.
The team is focusing on battery materials like lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) and nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), which are known for their high performance.
“Domestic battery materials are critical to securing supply chains against global disruptions, reducing reliance on foreign imports, and strengthening U.S. energy and national security,” said Hou. “This is especially important for defense-related UAV applications, where Packet Digital’s batteries must meet stringent security, reliability and traceability requirements.”
“UND brings one-of-a-kind capabilities for extracting rare earth elements and critical minerals from North Dakota lignite, uniquely positioning the state within the domestic critical minerals supply chain,” explains Theaker. “Developing resource-to-end product capabilities, North Dakota has the potential to be a massive player in the developing spaces like UAVs.”
A part of the project entails setting up a Battery Materials Qualification & Testing Lab with Packet Digital. This lab will make sure the new materials UND develops are ready for Packet Digital’s battery factory in Fargo.
By focusing on testing, the project aims to quickly move new discoveries from the lab into real battery manufacturing, ensuring the materials perform well and can be produced consistently.
The team plans to create materials nearly ready for use in batteries, test them in various drone battery formats, and design methods to produce these materials on a larger scale. The project also aims to prepare for future large-scale production and business growth in North Dakota by planning further analysis and building a business plan.
Written by Paige Prekker // UND College of Engineering & Mines
