- Wild Hornets expands use of 3D printing to meet demand
- In-house manufacturing reduces dependence on third-party suppliers
- Company focuses on software as drone swarm threats evolve
Ukrainian drone maker Wild Hornets believes 3D printing could be the answer to modern warfare, helping companies like this reduce costs and increase production.
DO reports that the company is now increasing its 3D printing footprint by using large numbers of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) desktop printers, such as Bambu Lab and Elegoo devices, rather than using expensive industrial systems.
This allows the company to produce plastic drone components in high volume, but it also improves manufacturing speed, allowing the company to iterate the design more quickly as enemy tactics evolve.
The role of 3D printing in modern warfare
Recent reporting on the company from industry experts at 3D printing industryhighlights how desktop 3D printers offer several advantages for rapidly evolving digital and aerial warfare, such as lower capital costs for manufacturing, rapid prototyping support, and easier scaling via new printers, rather than having to build new tools and molds.
This comes as Ukraine continues to face enemy threats – the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) continues to report an increase in attacks from Russia as the country doubles down on Iranian Shahed-type drones.
In-house, affordable manufacturing also covers batteries, flight controllers and other electronic components, helping to reduce costs and support Ukraine’s efforts. It also reduces reliance on third parties and external supply chains.
Since its inception, Wild Hornets has grown from a volunteer initiative to a manufacturer capable of producing around 100 drones per day – digging deeper into its 3D printing strategy will only help.
Speaking about artificial intelligence, an anonymous Wild Hornets spokesperson said that the use of DOU AI in drone warfare was limited but starting to expand, mainly covering reconnaissance and navigation. However, Wild Hornets estimates that adding AI capabilities currently increases costs by $150 to $500 per drone, making it an expensive consideration.
Drones are becoming much more than hardware
Looking ahead, Wild Hornets sees interest from defense partners extending beyond the drone itself and extending to the entire Hornet Vision package, which includes digital video transmission, remote control, AI and much more.
The system itself was originally designed because Chinese digital control systems became unavailable due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts, but as the company recently successfully demonstrated remote operation of its Sting interceptor 2,000 km away, from a country outside Ukraine, partners are increasingly interested in the complete hardware and software package.
However, even as aerial and autonomous threats continue to rise, the company’s anonymous spokesperson told DOU that drone swarms don’t exist the way they’re supposed to, describing them as “a cool legend and scam mechanism to get money from naive investors.”
The company promises to add drone swarm technology as it emerges and evolves, but for now, it’s neither an option nor a realistic threat.
“We would like the war to end,” they added. “Instead of increasing production volumes, we would then focus on technologies, R&D, design solutions and cooperation with foreign partners. »
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