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Can the UK build a sovereign battery supply chain for drones?
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Fusion42 · 22 August 2026 · Fusion42 review
The UK government is investing heavily in sovereign drone capabilities, including batteries, but the local supply chain remains dependent on imported battery cells primarily manufactured in China. UK firm Volklec plans to produce battery cells domestically using Chinese manufacturing expertise transferred to UK facilities to build a sovereign supply chain.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Drones & UAV.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
You face a rare chance to build a UK-based drone battery supply chain by leveraging transferred Chinese manufacturing know-how at UKBIC. This opens a new pathway but demands quick action to replace imported cells with sovereign production before procurement rules tighten further.
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1 source · 22 Aug 2026
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