Additive Manufacturing Experts Discuss Scaling Drone Production

The recent UAS Additive Strategies online event, co-hosted by 3DPrint.com and Additive Manufacturing Research (AM Research), gathered key figures from the additive manufacturing (AM) and drone sectors to tackle the significant challenge of scaling drone production. Participants, including representatives from EOS, HP, Prusa Research, Stratasys, Firestorm Labs, DrukArmy, and the U.S. Army, shared insights on how AM is poised to transform the future of drone manufacturing.

A central theme emerging from the discussions was that achieving scaled drone production necessitates more than simply increasing the number of printers or the volume of parts produced. David Krzeminski, Business Development Manager for Polymer at EOS, emphasized that the approach to scaling drone manufacturing is drawing inspiration from the automotive industry, focusing on achieving precision and repeatability. He noted that scaling is a multidimensional effort, requiring integrated advancements in materials, software, manufacturing processes, and the broader industrial ecosystem to effectively support drone production.

Kilian Riplye, Director of Additive Manufacturing for Defense at Prusa Research, highlighted the evolving role of desktop 3D printers in production strategies. He pointed out the inherent flexibility of AM, allowing for continuous operation even if a single machine fails. This contrasts with reliance on large, singular industrial systems, enabling manufacturers to incrementally add printers—potentially dozens or even hundreds—as demand escalates. Riplye suggested that the cost of a single high-end industrial machine could facilitate the deployment of approximately 40 production-ready Prusa printers.

The urgency to scale drone production is intensifying with projected market growth. Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at AM Research, forecast a substantial increase in drone production volumes over the next decade, estimating current production at 17 to 18 million drones annually, equating to nearly 900 million parts. This figure is expected to approach 2 billion parts within the next ten years. Dunham attributed this acceleration to geopolitical factors, supply chain vulnerabilities, and regulatory shifts, all of which make AM a more compelling solution than in recent years. He also noted that significant military adoption is fast-tracking AM's integration into the core of the drone market, with parallel benefits for the commercial sector.

Speakers universally agreed on the need for production methods capable of accommodating rapid design iterations as demand grows. Unlike many traditional manufacturing techniques, 3D printing allows for swift design updates without the delays associated with retooling, making it highly suitable for drone development. Currently, AM is employed in producing end-use components such as airframes, housings, brackets, ducts, sensor mounts, RF components, and lightweight structural elements. Emily Levin, Unmanned Systems Application Engineer at HP, shared the company's experience, noting that over 30 OEMs are now utilizing HP technology for drone production, transitioning from delivering initial airframes to supporting manufacturers in scaling to tens of thousands of units, demonstrating commercial viability.