Amprius Lands $75M Federal Grant to Repurpose EV Battery Line for Drone Cells

Amprius Technologies has secured a federal award worth as much as $75 million to retool an American electric-vehicle battery line so it can turn out high-density cells for unmanned aerial systems.

The money arrives via the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, a Department of War initiative aimed at shoring up domestic production capacity deemed critical to national security. The converted line would supply advanced batteries for Group 1, 2 and 3 unmanned aircraft, Amprius said, with output targeted to begin by early 2028 at roughly 12 million cells annually.

Converting the facility, currently run by a South Korean battery maker, is projected to cost around $100 million. Amprius and its Korean manufacturing partner are expected to cover the remainder through additional investment and in-kind contributions. The cells are meant to satisfy domestic sourcing rules under the National Defense Authorization Act, strengthening Amprius’s ability to deliver U.S.-made pouch cells to defense buyers in larger volumes.

Amprius builds lithium-ion cells around silicon-anode chemistry, which it says packs more energy than conventional graphite-anode designs. For drones, that could mean longer flights or heavier payloads without adding battery heft, though real-world results still hinge on each aircraft’s design and mission profile. The new line joins Amprius’s existing footprint across the United States, South Korea and China.