The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News - August 6, 2025
USA Rare Earth and ePropelled have teamed up to design neodymium magnets for drone applications.
ePropelled drone motors excel in applications where performance and size constraints are critical.
A sintering furnace at USA Rare Earth's magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
With rare earth magnets being a key component of high-performance drones, ePropelled Inc. has forged a strategic partnership with USA Rare Earth Inc. to develop and build neodymium magnets for the state-of-the-art motors in its unmanned vehicles for military, commercial, and industrial applications.
"We're thrilled to partner with USA Rare Earth to secure the rare earth materials essential to our uncrewed vehicle solutions," said ePropelled Chairman and CEO Nick Grewal. "Expanding our supply chain – both in the U.S. and globally – is key to meeting the high expectations of our customers and staying ahead in this fast-moving industry."
ePropelled drone motors excel in applications where performance and size constraints are critical.
Based in New Hampshire, ePropelled specializes in smart propulsion and energy management systems for uncrewed vehicles for air, land, and sea.
Neodymium magnets, or neo magnets, generate strong magnetic fields while remaining lightweight – essential characteristics for high-performance drones designed to fly farther, carry heavier payloads, and operate reliably in extreme environments.
ePropelled is working with USA Rare Earth to develop and produce neo magnets that meet the exacting specifications for use in its high-performance motors, controllers, generators, and power management systems that go into a wide range of unmanned vehicles – from large-payload and long-range aerial vehicles for defense applications to small surveillance drones for commercial use.
"We are very pleased to partner with such an innovative company as ePropelled, a global leader in magnetics engineering and a proven pioneer in the design and production of electric propulsion solutions," said USA Rare Earth CEO Joshua Ballard.
A sintering furnace at USA Rare Earth's magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
USA Rare Earth has already begun prototyping neo magnets for ePropelled applications. Final designs will be manufactured at USA Rare Earth's rapidly expanding magnet production facility in Oklahoma.
"We look forward to working with the ePropelled team to develop a true partnership in providing Made-in-the-USA designated high-quality, high-performance magnets for use in their pioneering and innovative solutions," Ballard added.
Once running at full commercial capacity, USA Rare Earth's Oklahoma facility will be capable of producing hundreds of millions of high-performance magnets annually. These magnets will support a wide array of future-leaning technologies – from drones, EVs, and robotics to wind turbines, smartphones, and smart appliances.
The collaboration with ePropelled marks another milestone along the path to establishing a domestic reshoring rare earth magnet supply chain vital to powering smart systems of tomorrow.
With more than 17 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration, and technology metals.
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