When it comes to these flying, insect-inspired drones, 3D printing is just one piece of the puzzle. The researchers developed two types of drones and intend for them to function in fleets (like insects) to accomplish repairs or construction work. On the one hand, there are BuilDrones, which are drones tasked with the hard work of laying down material.
Joining them are ScanDrones, which perform quality control and oversight duties using 3D scanners. The latter type of drone monitors the BuilDrones’ performance and the overall structure to make sure it conforms to manufacturing specifications. The ScanDrones use the information gained from their intermittent scans to inform the next steps in the building process and give instructions to the BuilDrones accordingly. The researchers were able to get the printing accuracy down to 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) using this system.
During the development, the researchers printed with a number of different materials, including a cement-like mixture that could be stored on the drone for longer and that dried quickly once deposited. Having ScanDrones keep an eye on the construction means that the researchers could also test more unpredictable materials, like expanding polyurethane foam. The researchers hope the new technology will open doors for rapid construction during disaster relief and structure repairs in places where it’s difficult to reach and build safely. The technology could also prove to be an efficient replacement for large structures that are commonly used to print other structures like houses.
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