Using EOS’s Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) innovation in combination with ALM’s PA 640-GSL light-weight carbon materia, the drone body and different cover-flaps can now be 3D printed. Designed to precisely imitate a bird of victim, the Drone Bird is mainly utilized as a bird control procedure, with applications in a variety of markets such as farming and air travel.
During an interview with Parts on Demand, Jan-Willem Van den Eijke, CEO at The Drone Bird Company, declared that AM has actually made it possible for the business to “pioneer with materials, shapes and wall thicknesses, for example, because we can change designs much more quickly”. According to Van den Eijkel, this has actually assisted in quicker advancement with concerns to the Drone Bird. “We can respond more quickly to specific questions and applications”, Van den Eijke continued.
Primary applications of the Drone Bird
Originally created to support the master thesis subject of Twente trainee Nico Nijenhuis, the functionality and success of the drone model rapidly saw it end up being a recognized and commercialized item.
The Drone Bird’s main application is as a bird control procedure within the air travel market. According to the Federal Aviation Association (FAA), bird strikes and disturbance supposedly trigger approximately $500 million each year in damages, with 15,400 strikes taking place in 2021 alone. The realism of the drone’s falcon style makes it especially efficient at preventing wildlife and bird populations from occupying airfields. Indeed, it is declared that, provided the realism of the drone, birds respond intuitively and without the possibility of habituation. As such, the Drone Bird can supply long-lasting and sustainable bird control steps in the designated place.
The farming market is another crucial sector where these drones are utilized. Each year, birds cause over €90 million in damages to the Dutch farming sector. Thus the capability to hinder bird populations, without the possibility of habituation, makes this drone specifically attracting those in farming. Furthermore, with the alternative to include a HD video camera to the Drone Bird, it is declared that the drones can likewise be utilized to examine animals, hinder predators, and inspect watering systems from another location.
Using AM to Optimize advancement and production
The Drone Bird was at first handcrafted with fiberglass and epoxy. However, throughout the drone’s preliminary building and production, this procedure ended up being recognisably ineffective and was seen to be driving down success. Thus, in order to enhance the production procedure, Parts on Demand and ALM teamed up to supply know-how in research study and advancement of AM and Thermoplastic Rapid Prototyping (RP).
ALM PA 640-GSL, a PA 12-based carbon fiber and glass filled product, is utilized to produce the 3D printed parts. This product uses high strength and tightness, high thermal stability, buoyancy, quality sunfish surface and information, and 10% less product per average build. Thus, the 3D printed parts are not just long lasting adequate to hold up against unfavorable weather condition and ecological conditions, however are likewise less expensive to produce considered that they need less product per build.
By utilizing ALM PA 640-GSL, in mix with the EOS P 396 SLS 3D printer, The Drone Bird Company has actually had the ability to speed up the advancement stage and produce parts with increased precision. Indeed, the speed at which parts can be produced and checked has actually permitted more fast prototyping of parts. Moreover, having actually incorporated 3D printing into the production procedure, the business can now think about and test various AM products. This has actually made it possible for the company to satisfy brand-new obstacles and pursue unique ideations of the item, whilst maintaining style flexibility fit, product qualities and wall density.
3D printed drones
The industrial drone market is definitely growing, making it an important market for AM business to make use of. For circumstances, Drone Industry Insights has actually kept in mind that overall drone financial investment worth in the United States almost tripled from $2.4 billion in 2020 to $7 billion in 2021.
In 2021, Dragontech, a farming innovation start-up, started utilizing AM innovation to establish a drone-based information event platform to help farmers keep an eye on and determine issues in their fields. The business leverages MakerBot 3D printers to develop and model parts, which can be utilized to connect its system combinations platform to off-the-shelf drones. “We want to be able to take pretty much any kind of sensor and integrate it into a drone, and make it all integrated into a single out-of-the-box platform so anyone can use it”, declared Dragontech creator Mel Wieting.
Elsewhere, in 2022, the Royal Air Force (RAF) began advancement of an aerial attack system integrating 3D printed drones. These drones, with fitted munitions, can be released as swarms to ruin designated targets. Reportedly costing £4 million, this program likewise saw the advancement of a 3D printed twin-blade gadget called ‘Pizookie’. Sir Mike Wigston, the UK’s existing Air Chief Marshal, declares that these 3D printed drones provide “enormous potential” in frustrating and puzzling an opponent’s air defenses.
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Featured image reveals a close-up of the Falcon shaped Drone Bird. Photo through The Drone Bird Company.
