The 80,000-square-foot North Dakota plant will produce lithium-ion pouch cells for drones, defense platforms and autonomous systems using domestic and allied raw materials.
Badland Batteries opened its battery cell manufacturing plant in Fargo, North Dakota on October 8, 2026. The 80,000-square-foot facility combines automated and manned equipment to build lithium-ion pouch cells for defense, aerospace and autonomous systems. Federal, state, local, industry and military leaders gathered for the grand opening, which highlighted domestic battery manufacturing and the state’s role in energy resilience.
“Opening this facility marks an important step forward in building a secure and resilient battery supply chain here in the United States,” said Terri Zimmerman, chief executive of Badland Batteries and Packet Digital. “Simply put, we believe that America should build its own batteries, and this facility represents years of work towards that goal and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to supporting our nation’s defense. These battery cells will help power today’s and tomorrow’s cutting-edge autonomous and UAS systems, which are critical to our nation’s security.”
How Badland Batteries controls the supply chain
According to the company, more than 80% of the batteries and critical materials used in autonomous systems are manufactured overseas, which creates significant supply chain vulnerabilities for the United States. In response, Badland Batteries describes the Fargo plant as the first UAS-specific facility to control the entire manufacturing process. That process starts with raw material sourcing and in-house qualification of those materials. All cells use domestic or allied-sourced raw materials with full traceability.
After cell production, Badland Batteries will assemble customer-ready battery packs at its manufacturing and assembly facility one mile away. The plant can also scale with industry demand, with the ability to produce more than 15,000 battery cells per day. The opening adds to a broader push for U.S. drone battery capacity, following a recent federal award to Amprius to expand domestic drone battery production.
“Building a strong domestic battery ecosystem is critical to our nation’s economic competitiveness and national security. That’s why we’ve worked over the last six years to secure more than $50 million in federal funding to advance these efforts in North Dakota,” said Sen. John Hoeven. “Badland Batteries’ investment in North Dakota advances our efforts to strengthen American manufacturing, create high-quality jobs and reduce dependence on foreign sources for critical technologies. This facility demonstrates how North Dakota continues to lead in innovation and contribute to our nation’s energy and defense priorities.”
Markets for American-made battery cells
The facility will serve growing demand for domestically produced batteries across unmanned aircraft systems, defense platforms, robotics and other advanced technologies. Badland Batteries manufactures both cells and packs for defense and commercial customers.
“This facility is more than a manufacturing plant,” Zimmerman said. “It is a statement that America can reshore critical industries, create meaningful careers and develop the technologies that will power the future.”
More information is available at Badland Batteries.
Read More
Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.
