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The Royal Navy is researching 3D printing technology that will enable it to one day load barrels of powder on to its ships instead of aircraft.
Within five years, ships could be equipped with multi-material 3D printers able to produce entire unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), tailored to specific missions. The semi-disposable aircraft would be printed in sections with wiring within them, and clipped together without fasteners. They would then be fitted with batteries and electronics, such as cameras for reconnaissance missions.
The research is being undertaken with the University of Southampton, which this month will launch a 3D-printed UAV from HMS Mersey off the south coast using a catapult launcher, and land it in Dorset. Project Triangle will be the first time a 3D-printed UAV has been flown from a ship anywhere in the world.
Jim Scanlan, professor of design at the University of Southampton, said the launch was “a first step towards 3D printing for the Royal Navy” and that 3D printers producing UAVs on board ships could be achieved “within five years”.
“It’s a capability they would like to achieve. A 3D printer producing aircraft customised to a specific mission would mean you don’t have to carry fixed assets, you could take powders that could become any aircraft. It would be more volume efficient than taking several different aircraft and cheaper, especially if they are semi-disposable.
“You could do it quite easily on the large carriers, they have plenty of power on those ships. There’s no major technology issues, it’s all engineering and MoD procurement.”
The Royal Navy has operated the Scaneagle reconnaissance drone (shown) since 2013. The Scaneagle is supplied by a subsidiary of Boeing in a £30 million contract. The navy is keen to reduce the cost of operating UAVs, said Scanlan.
The 3D-printed UAVs could have wingspans of up to 4m. Their shapes would be optimised according to specific missions – they could have greater wingspans and be more glider-like for long-range reconnaissance, be more agile to avoid enemy fire or stealthy to avoid detection. They would be made from nylon or peek (polyether ether ketone) if they needed to be stronger, Scanlan added.
Kevin Franks, deputy maritime account manager at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, said the MoD has a number of “lines of interest” in 3D printing. He said: “The ability to use additive manufacture to make a task-specific tool, component, device or even a vehicle out in the field or in a space-constrained moving ship, could have significant impact on the armed forces’ shape and capability.”