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Swiss drones can print structures midair

Swiss drones can print structures midair

Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Switzerland is developing a new style of construction – a swarm of drones printing 3D material structures from a single blueprint. A team of researchers led by drone expert Mirko Kovac from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and the Imperial College London recently developed a new system known as “Aerial Additive Manufacturing” (Aerial-AM).

Swiss drones can print structures midair

Swarms of drones could also be used in space, for example on a future Mars mission. (© Yusuf Furkan KAYA, Aerial Robotics Laboratory, Imperial College London / Empa)

Following nature’s example

3D printing is gaining momentum in the construction industry. Both on-site and in the factory, static and mobile robots print materials for use in construction projects, such as steel and concrete structures. A new approach to 3D printing uses flying robots, known as drones, that use collective building methods inspired by natural builders like bees and wasps.

It consists of BuilDrones, which deposit materials during flight, and quality-controlling ScanDrones, which continually measure the BuilDrones’ output and inform their next manufacturing steps. The researchers say that in-flight 3D printing unlocks doors that will lead to on-site manufacturing and building in difficult-to-access or dangerous locations such as post-disaster relief construction and tall buildings or infrastructure.

“We’ve proved the concept that drones can work autonomously and in tandem to construct and repair buildings, at least in the lab. This scalable solution could help construction and repair in difficult-to-reach areas, like tall buildings,” Professor Kovac said.

Human progress control

Aerial-AM uses both a 3D printing and path-planning framework so the drones can adapt to variations in the geometry of the structure as a build progresses. The drones are fully autonomous in flight, but there is a human controller in the loop that can monitor progress and intervene if necessary, based on the information provided by the drones.

To test the concept, the researchers developed four cement-like mixtures for the drones to build with. Throughout the build, the drones assess the printed geometry in real time and adapt their behavior to ensure they meet the build specifications, with a manufacturing accuracy of five millimeters.

Next, the researchers will work with construction companies to validate the solutions and provide repair and manufacturing capabilities. They believe the technology will provide significant cost savings and reduce access risks compared to traditional manual methods.

Text: Empa (editing by SCCIJ)

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