The U.S. Army Is Testing 3-D Printed Drone Technology

The U.S. Army is currently testing new technology that would enable soldiers to create drones using 3-D printers while out on the battlefield.

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The “unmanned aircraft systems” (or UAS) were selected for further experimentation at this year’s Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments, an annual event in U.S. army conducts a series of technology experiments. Drones made via 3-D printing, which would allow soldiers to print customizable the unmanned aircraft systems based on their mission, were just one of the 50 pieces of tech selected for further testing.  

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Eric Spero, a senior research engineer at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, said his team viewed the convergence of these two cutting-edge technologies as a valuable tool to help support decentralized, small-unit decision-making in challenging situations.

"The concept takes advantage of 3-D printing as a future enabler and positions us, as the U.S. military, to take advantage of increasingly better manufacturing technologies."

Related: What the Heck Are Drones Good For, Anyway?

Despite the potential, tests for the product could be more than a year away as teams collaborate on its creation and development.

"This is not a solution for today," Dr. Mark Valco, director of the Vehicle Technology Directorate, said in a press release. "Innovation is the key. We're demonstrating a capability, but we need to evolve design tools, higher-grade materials and the ability to print faster. Our researchers are continually looking for opportunities to enable these new capabilities."