A collaboration between Stratasys and Optomec, Inc. has produced the first 3D printed UAV wing with surface printed electronics. Using Optomec’s proprietary Aerosol Jet system, the team was able to incorporate sensor, antenna, and other circuitry directly on to the surface of the final Stratasys Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) output. The process allows designers to create new lighter weight designs using fewer materials in less time. [via Forbes]
10 thoughts on “3D Printed UAV Wing with Printed Electronics”
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Now combine this with mike estee’s cardboard quadcopter http://www.mikeestee.com/blog/2012/03/cardboard-quadcopter/ and we’ll really have something :)
Freaking awesome. Please keep following this as it develops, this looks like it’s going to be a huge advance for aircraft construction, among other things.
Very cool, but my first thought was: What happens if an electronic component fails, do you scrap the whole vehicle, or is it repairable?
Hey that gearbox is the exact same one used in parkzone and hobby zone micro hobby airplanes!
Wondering how robust the circuitry would be on a high flexing wing…