Investigating Additive Manufacturing Possibilities for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Polymeric Materials

Area of Science:

• Additive Manufacturing
• Aerospace Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Fused filament fabrication (FFF), also known as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and 3D printing, is a prevalent additive manufacturing technology.
• FFF offers cost-effectiveness and customization, presenting opportunities to revolutionize unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) design and fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of 3D printing a flying wing-type UAV using a standard desktop printer and polymeric materials.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties of 3D printed UAV prototypes made from polylactic acid (PLA) and lightweight PLA.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature analysis to identify suitable prototyping objects and polymeric materials.
• Focused on using polylactic acid (PLA), including lightweight PLA, for fabricating a flying wing UAV prototype.
• Performed simplified bending tests to assess the mechanical performance of the printed wing prototype.

Main Results:

• The 3D printing process demonstrated acceptable precision in replicating the UAV wing geometry.
• Simplified bending tests revealed significant mechanical reserves in the PLA prototype compared to theoretical material resistance.
• Lightweight PLA's performance was investigated, noting its density variation with printing temperature.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully proved the hypothesis that UAVs can be 3D printed using a simple desktop printer and PLA.
• The fabricated wing prototype shows potential for further optimization, though rheology and durability require additional research.
• While precision is acceptable, technological limitations in the 3D printing process necessitate further resolution.