Diode pumped metastable rare gas lasers (DPRGLs) are a new type optically pumped gas laser analogue to diode pumped alkali vapor lasers (DPALs). It can overcome the hidden danger of chemical reaction while possessing similar advantages of DPALs. In this paper, the basic principle and research development of DPRGLs are presented. The key technologies and power scaling potentials of DPRGLs are analyzed. The possible further development and applications are discussed.