HP Multi Jet Fusion: Revolutionizing the Drone Industry with 3D Printed Drones

Changing the way drones are manufactured

Central to this growth is the integration of advanced manufacturing technologies, such as HP Multi Jet Fusion technology (MJF) which enable unprecedented levels of innovation, customization and efficiency. By enabling rapid prototyping, customizing parts, and high-quality manufacturing, HP MJF is changing the way drones are designed and manufactured.

The drone industry has grown significantly in recent years. Its applications range from environmental protection and infrastructure inspection to logistics protection.

This article explores how HP’s MJF technology has driven success across industries through three specific case studies: Inverto Earth, Frameworks Robotics, and UAV Works. Each of these companies has leveraged HP MJF to unlock new capabilities in drones, with a focus on sustainability, modularity and efficiency.

Inverto Earth: Sustainability at the heart of 3D printed drone innovation

The company

Inverto Earth AG is a Swiss startup specializing in the restoration and conservation of coastal ecosystems, particularly mangrove forests. They help projects on the ground scale up operations and collect high-resolution data on climate, biodiversity, and social impacts. For this, they are leveraging the latest technologies such as drones or satellite imagery, always with the goal to help scale coastal restoration to maximize nature positive impact.

Drones powered with HP MJF technology

Inverto Earth uses drones with parts printed with HP MJF for planting, which is more efficient for larger areas, making a significant difference in operational efficiency while hand planting is more cost-effective and faster for small sites.

Transforming drone manufacturing with HP Multi Jet Fusion

Design freedom

The bottom wheel part of Inverto Earth’s drones, where the individual seeds are released, needs to be adapted to accommodate more than 60 types of mangrove seeds used in various geographies, including the Middle East, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

According to Inverto Earth experts, the HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology provides greater design freedom, enabling the rapid production of diverse parts and facilitating the creation of complex geometries that CNC machining cannot achieve.

“With CNC, we have less design freedom than with HP MJF. If we would have to use CNC to machine these parts, we would have to completely redesign the whole piece.” – said Jürg Germann, Co-Founder and CEO.

Durability

Based on the expertise of Inverto Earth, the HP MJF parts produced are strong, and durable, making them ideal for drones operating in harsh conditions. In contrast, 3D parts printed with FDM lack the necessary strength for use in dirt, mud and rough environments.

“Having a small FDM printer in the lab to prototype is nice, but it is just less suitable for when it goes to the field. These parts need to be strong because they are going to be used in a rough environment. With HP MJF we end up having robust parts”- said Jürg Germann

On-demand production

HP MJF allows Inverto Earth for the creation of parts quickly and as needed, compared to traditional methods, which would require producing more samples, generating more waste and incremental transportation costs.

“I would probably end up with a lot more material waste if I had to machine it.” – said Jürg Germann  

Bio-based material

Inverto Earth uses HP 3D HR PA 11 material, a bio-based material made of 100% castor oil from castor seeds, contributing to the overall sustainability of the project.

Restoring mangroves with support from HP 3D Printing

In collaboration with HP 3D Printing, Inverto Earth is undertaking a five-year project with the local partners from Mojo Village to restore 18,000 square meters of mangrove forest in Central Java, Indonesia. This initiative seeks to reverse the loss of annually 8 billion square meters of coastal ecosystems over the past 50 years, a trend that has significantly impacted biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

By using advanced drones to plant and monitor coastal habitats, the project will protect over 20 plant species and support habitats for more than 50 animal species.

Framework Robotics: Modular design and endless possibilities with 3D printed drones

The company

As a pioneer in unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) technology, Framework Robotics has revolutionized underwater exploration by integrating the HP Multi Jet Fusion into the manufacturing process. Their modular UUVs are used across a wide range of industries including oil and gas, national defense and renewable energy. 

The challenge

Framework Robotics initially relied on Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) for 3D printing, but it had significant limitations in terms of part quality and durability. FDM-printed components often suffer from delamination and lack the waterproofing required for deep-sea operations. Additionally, the parts become brittle over time, resulting in reduced safety and efficiency of UUV.

To address these challenges, Frameworks Robotics turned to HP MJF technology, which helped them produce parts with greater mechanical integrity and precision suitable for use in harsh underwater environments. By bringing production in-house, the company was able to reduce production time and better control the production process.

Key advantages of using HP MJF for modular UUVs

High-quality production

Parts produced with HP MJF are final product, not just something at a R&D phase. This shift from prototyping to producing ready-to-use components was a significant step forward for the company.

Customization and flexibility

The ability to rapidly adapt to customer needs has been transformative. 

“The customer comes with the problem, and we find a solution for them,”  said Robert Balduhn, founder of Frameworks Robotics , underscoring the company’s customer-centric approach. 

Operational resilience

The modular design of the UUVs, facilitated by 3D printing, allows for quick part replacement. 

“They will never have a situation where something breaks, and they are stuck,” Balduhn assures, highlighting the robustness of their systems. 

In-house efficiency

By producing parts in-house, Frameworks Robotics can maintain tighter quality control and achieve faster turnaround times, essential for meeting the demanding timelines of their clients. 

UAV Works: Pushing performance boundaries

The company

UAV Works is behind the design and manufacture of different advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designed for high performance and specialized applications. Their two flagship products, VALAQ and HUNTER, stand for their agility, durability and operational readiness.

VALAQ: Accuracy and durability in one package

VALAQ is a hybrid drone that combines the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities of a multicopter. This combination enables VALAQ to excel in long-range missions such as surveillance, mapping, and logistics.

The HUNTER: Advanced communications and transportation capabilities

The HUNTER is a highly transportable, collapsible multicopter. With camera guided flight and an excellent communication system with a data link and two 4G modems on board, this drone is the perfect choice for operations where information needs to be sent anywhere in the world. 96% of the drone is 3D printed, so it can be repaired anywhere.

HP MJF benefits for UAV applications

• Flexibility: Enables the production of folding mechanisms that would be impractical or impossible to manufacture using traditional methods.
• Part consolidation: Facilitates the creation of complex components as a single piece, reducing assembly requirements and increasing efficiency.
• Weight optimization:  Allows for the printing of thin walls and hollowed parts, reducing the drone’s overall weight and enhancing its performance.

HP MJF technology as a game-changer for the drone industry with 3D printed UAVs and UUVs

As seen in the success stories of Inverto Earth, Frameworks Robotics, and UAV Works, HP Multi Jet Fusion technology has proven to be a powerful tool in driving drone innovation. Whether it is to enable sustainable ecological restoration, facilitating modular and adaptable underwater vehicles or pushing the limits of aircraft system performance,  it’s revolutionizing the way companies design, build, and deploy.

HP MJF technology offers unprecedented levels of customization, production and performance that are impacting not only these three companies but the broader drone industry.

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