Recently, the British Royal Navy launched the first 3D printed airplane. This plane, which has been dubbed SULSA, comes in the form of an unmanned aerial drone. Operating the drone via a laptop computer, Navy personnel launched it from an ice patrol ship to collect pictures of the surrounding area and help the ship navigate through the Antarctic.
SULSA represents a significant achievement for military technology; by taking advantage of rapid prototyping and 3D printing technology, the United Kingdom’s University of Southampton was able to construct the drone for roughly $10,000. At this price, the drone is more cost effective than flying a Royal Navy helicopter for one hour. In the future, fully printed aircraft may be used for complex military operations. Small and lightweight, they can be stored in and deployed from even small Navy vessels, and could serve to coordinate warships, facilitate communications, and remove military personnel from the line of fire.
You, too, can benefit from the many advantages of using 3D printing technology. Consult our Seattle 3D printing company to learn more.
