NEO, Japanese Drone Manufacturer Exploring Battery Production Facility in Japan

09:00 AM EDT, 09/03/2026 (MT Newswires) -- NEO Battery Materials (NBM.V) signed a letter of intent with Japanese drone manufacturer Liberaware and subsidiary Hinotate to evaluate the development of a drone battery manufacturing facility in Japan. The partnership aims to integrate NEO's battery management system solutions with Liberaware and Hinotate's unmanned aerial system platforms, NEO said Thursday. Under the terms, Liberaware and Hinotate will review NEO's electrode and battery manufacturing capabilities in South Korea. The companies will also evaluate the formation of a joint venture or a special-purpose vehicle to establish a drone battery manufacturing facility in Japan. The letter of intent is effective for three years and specific terms will be determined upon signing of definitive agreements, NEO said.