- Wild Hornets are expanding the use of 3D printing to meet demand
- In-house production reduces dependence on third-party suppliers
- The company is focusing on software as drone swarm threats evolve
Ukrainian drone manufacturer Wild Hornets believes 3D printing could be the answer to modern warfare, helping companies like it cut costs and increase production.
DOU reports that the company is now growing its 3D printing footprint using a large number of FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) desktop printers, such as Bambu Lab and Elegoo units, instead of using expensive industrial systems.
This allows the company to carve high-volume plastic drone components, but it also improves production speed, allowing the company to iterate designs more quickly as enemy tactics evolve.
The role of 3D printing in modern warfare
Recent reporting on the company by industry experts at The 3D printing industryhighlights how desktop 3D printers offer several advantages for rapidly evolving digital and air 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 increasing attacks from Russia as it doubles the number of Iranian Shahed-type drones.
In-house, affordable manufacturing also covers battery packs, flight controllers and other electronics and components, all helping to reduce costs and support Ukraine’s efforts. It also reduces dependence 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 – deepening its 3D printing strategy will only help.
Speaking of artificial intelligence, an anonymous Wild Hornets spokesperson told DOU AI’s use in drone-based warfare is limited, but is beginning to expand, primarily spanning reconnaissance and navigation. However, Wild Hornets estimates that adding AI functionality currently increases costs by $150 to $500 per unit. drone, making it an expensive consideration.
Drones are becoming much more than hardware
Looking ahead, Wild Hornet sees interest from defense partners moving beyond the drone itself to the entire Hornet Vision suite, which includes digital video transmission, remote control, AI and more.
The system itself was originally designed because Chinese digital control systems became unavailable amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts, but with the company recently demonstrating successful remote control of its Sting interceptor from 2,000 km away, from a country outside Ukraine, partners are increasingly interested in the full hardware and software package.
But even as aerial autonomous threats continue to rise, the company’s unnamed speaker told DOU that drone swarms do not exist in the way they are made out to exist, describing them as ‘a cool legend and a mechanism for a scam to get money from naive investors.’
The company promises to add drone swarm technology as and when it emerges and evolves, but so far it’s neither an option nor a realistic threat.
“We want the war to end,” they added. “Then, instead of increasing the production volume, we would focus on technologies, R&D, design solutions and cooperation with foreign partners.”
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