The U.S. is developing biodegradable engines to ensure complete stealth for drones

The U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has launched a program to develop power systems for drones that can completely dissolve into the environment after completing their mission. 

The new materials must withstand temperatures exceeding 500 degrees Celsius and mechanical stress exceeding 100 megapascals, according to IARPA. The primary goal of the development is to conduct covert operations in enemy territory without the risk of identifying the owner of the equipment or having the technology copied in the event the drone crashes.

Engineers plan to use structural proteins such as silk and keratin, as well as chitin, cellulose, and composites made from fungal mycelium to create engine components. Since sunlight does not reach the interior of the engine compartments, the self-destruction mechanism will be triggered by enzymes, microorganisms, or chemical oxidation. Current advances in synthetic biology already allow for programming the degradation rate of such substances while adhering to strict technical tolerances.

This technological breakthrough will allow U.S. intelligence to abandon the complex evacuation of crashed drones in hard-to-reach areas. A drone that dissolves after completing its flight will leave no physical evidence of the equipment’s presence at the site. The military expects that mass production of such biodegradable systems will ensure the complete invisibility of reconnaissance missions in the long term.

Ukraine cannot keep up with the growing demand for strike drones due to a shortage of engines. The production program for Ukrainian long-range drones is limited by a shortage of mini-jet engines, which are critical for long-range strikes.

Against the backdrop of a protracted industrial decline and stagnation, Germany has launched a large-scale restructuring of its industry to meet military needs.