The US uses 3D printers to make drones, producing while marching

Drones developed by the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) are 3D printed directly at Fort Campbell. Photo: Kaden Pitt.US DOD

During the Combined Resolve 25-02 exercise in June, the US Army deployed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing units directly to the field for the first time. Over the past five years, UAVs have become indispensable weapons in conflict hotspots from Ukraine to Myanmar.

The use of small UAVs on the battlefield is not new. What is different about the exercise is that US Army combat units are using 3D printers to build UAVs right on the battlefield. In particular, first-person view (FPV) UAVs.

Lieutenant Colonel Dan Huff, commander of the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, the unit playing the role of "blue force" in the exercise, said that all units came up with plans to build UAVs or drones right on the battlefield using available equipment.

“This solution really reduces costs and allows us to be more flexible in our operations rather than relying on supply that can be disrupted in the market,” added Lt. Col. Dan Huff.

According to Breaking Defense, one of the key findings from the exercise was that the service needed to find a viable solution for using 3D printers on the battlefield, not just on US soil, where divisions are printing composite bodies and then adding purchased components like motors and controllers.

A small drone assembled from 3D printed components. Photo: Neometric/US.DOD

“It’s relatively easy for the US Army, the base conventional engineering units, and the power to build 100 drones at a time using a 3D printer,” Col. Nick Ryan, the US Army’s Capability Management director for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, recently told Breaking Defense.

However, there are still doubts about the fact that combat units near the battlefield carry 3D printers to build UAVs. The time to create 100 to 500 small flying vehicles is not fast, not to mention that they can be detected by the enemy.

However, the above plan is still being evaluated by the US Army because its feasibility has been proven in a number of conflicts.