The project is being carried out under the DARPA program “Rads to Watts” and is named SYMPHONEE. Also involved in the work are Northrop Grumman, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Project Omega, Applied Research Associates, and Widetronix.
The technology is based on the use of the radioisotope strontium-90, which can be extracted from nuclear waste. Unlike conventional batteries, such systems do not store energy; instead, they directly convert the energy of radioactive decay into electricity using specialized converters. This makes it possible to create compact power sources designed for continuous operation for up to 30 years.
The primary goal of the project is to provide energy for devices that must operate in conditions where replacing batteries is either practically impossible or prohibitively expensive. Potential applications include spacecraft, autonomous underwater systems, remote sensors, and next-generation defense technologies. Project Omega has previously demonstrated concepts for maritime drones capable of autonomous operation for up to 10 years.
The developers anticipate that the new architecture will significantly increase the specific power of radio-voltaic sources compared to existing alternatives. For now, the project remains in the research phase, and mass-produced devices are still a long way off. Nevertheless, this direction is considered one of the most promising for the future of autonomous energy.
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