On April 21, 2026, Altilium and The Structural Battery Company announced a strategic collaboration to establish a fully sovereign UK battery supply chain for next-generation heavy-lift drones. Under the agreement, Altilium will supply recycled cathode and anode materials recovered from end-of-life electric vehicle batteries, while The Structural Battery Company will integrate those materials into its advanced structural battery system, known as the Drone Spine.
The partnership aims to demonstrate a “Total UK Drone Spine,” in which both structural components and energy storage materials are domestically sourced and recycled. By embedding energy storage directly into the drone’s airframe, the structural battery design reduces mass, increases mechanical strength and enhances electrical performance. These improvements support higher payload capacity and longer flight range, while achieving up to 50% weight savings compared with conventional airframe-plus-battery architectures.
Altilium and The Structural Battery Company will explore the technical feasibility of producing cells that use recycled cathode active materials (CAM) and anode active materials (AAM) for incorporation into the structural backbone of heavy uncrewed aerial vehicles. This approach not only turns the battery from payload into primary structure but also prioritizes repairability and second-life applications, reinforcing circular economy principles.
Dr. Christian Marston, chief operating officer at Altilium, said the collaboration “represents an important step toward building a truly sovereign battery supply chain for the UK’s future logistics infrastructure. By combining recycled materials with cutting-edge structural battery technology, we’re directly supporting next-generation capabilities and national resilience.” John Moffat, founder and CEO of The Structural Battery Company, added that the initiative “brings together domestically recovered battery materials and a UK-developed structural battery architecture, creating a lighter, stronger and more resilient energy backbone for heavy-lift drones.”
Altilium has already produced automotive-grade pouch cells using recycled CAM and is advancing its first commercial battery recycling plant, ACT3, with £18.5 million in government grant funding. The company has also launched a Series B2 funding round. With drone applications in logistics, defence, medical delivery and offshore operations expanding rapidly, this partnership supports the UK’s goal of supply chain resilience and low-carbon domestically anchored battery technologies.
Source: Altilium Tech
