HPQ Silicon strategic partner Novacium SAS has received its first commercial order from Alta Ares for more than 100 AA NOVA 6S3P 15,000 mAh battery packs incorporating silicon-based anode technology.

The battery packs are designed to power the X-Lock short- to medium-range quadcopter interceptor drone, which is guided by onboard artificial intelligence software. The order follows nearly six months of co-development between the two companies and a successful test campaign involving ten prototypes in July 2026.

Novacium is scheduled to deliver the ordered units to Alta Ares before the end of September 2026. Future order expansion into an ongoing supply agreement remains subject to in-service results and Alta Ares’ procurement decisions.

“Designing the battery for the interceptor drone of a company selected under a DGA program and which won a NATO innovation challenge is an important milestone for the entire team,” said Jed Kraiem, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Novacium SAS. “This order is the culmination of nearly six months of work carried out in close collaboration with the Alta Ares teams. It demonstrates that our silicon-based anode technology provides a concrete and measurable advantage, in this case significant weight reduction at performance levels that are at least equivalent, in one of the most demanding defence applications. This first order helps position Novacium as a credible French player in the development of advanced energy solutions for drone systems, an area that represents a major technological and industrial sovereignty challenge. Additional discussions are already underway to extend this collaboration.”

“For an interceptor like the X-Lock, every gram counts: the battery directly affects the aircraft’s agility and endurance. The packs developed with Novacium enabled us to reduce weight while maintaining at least equivalent performance, which translates very concretely in flight. We appreciated the responsiveness and professionalism of their teams, and being able to rely on French cell technology fully aligns with our sovereignty approach,” said Julien Théodore, Design Authority Airborne at Alta Ares.

The current order scales up pack capacity from an earlier commercial order secured in August 2026 for 6,000 mAh battery packs intended to power FPV drones for a French Army regiment.

HPQ Silicon holds a strategic 36.8% equity interest in Novacium and retains exclusive North American commercialisation rights for its technologies.

Read the full announcement: Novacium Secures First Order for More Than 100 AA NOVA Battery Packs to Equip an Interceptor Drone from Alta Ares, a European Counter-Drone Company