Marines take 3D-printed drones to battle
September 28, 2017
When U.S. Marines shipped out in December to support operations in Iraq and Syria, they brought along a few 3D printers — and plans to print a small quadcopter drone called the Nibbler.
All of the Nibbler's parts, except for the electronics, are 3D printed. Assembling one costs about $2,000.
The Marine Corps is using the project "as a training vehicle to teach additive manufacturing," according to Col. Bill Vivian, who leads the Special Purpose Maine Air Ground Task Force, Crisis Response-Central Command. Vivian and his unit returned to the U.S. in August from an eight-month deployment.
Here's why the Nibbler is unique: the Marine Corps owns its intellectual property. If the drone breaks a rotor, they can just print a new one. That's not always the case. Though U.S. military ships and units have been deploying with 3D printers for some time — it's great to be able to tailor-make spare parts instead of carrying extra items — intellectual property restrictions sometimes hinder repairs and innovation.
"Because it's not proprietary, we're free to modify it as the mission dictates," said Maj. Miguel Cruz, logistics officer for the unit. "It has that level of flexibility that you wouldn't have with a commercial off-the-shelf drone."
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Since the drone has a camera and can fly for up to 25 minutes, it was used by security forces at forward locations to keep an eye on their surroundings. But it had another use as well: to help Marines understand how the Islamic State and other enemies use their own small drones.
"They're facing them every day and the threat is growing," Vivian said.
Vivian, Cruz and others from the unit were at the Pentagon this week talking to Marine Corps leaders. Aside from the Nibbler, the unit printed assembly components, medical splints, and wrenches for working on motor systems and generators. They even printed a cover for a laser device, receiving in one day a part that was backordered for seven months. The unit called their 3D printing area the "Ripper Lab," a play on the unit's nickname.
The Marine also experimented with other types of innovative equipment. They tried out some personal cooling devices, hoping to find ways to work longer on aircraft in desert heat, but without much success.
"That's a very practical problem," VIvian said. "How do you extend the ability of a Marine to work on an aircraft when it's 125 degrees out and touching the metal is painful cause it's been sitting in the sun? We haven't solved that one, unfortunately. Can't 3D print our way out of that one."
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