Student group produces 3D printed folding drone

Aeroptera, a student-led non-profit that aims to redefine drones for research through accessibility, research-capable design, and the full-scale application of 3D printing technology, has developed a model that is almost fully 3D printed.

With the exception of its arms, Lace is designed using Polymaker’s Fiberon, a high-performance composite filament that’s reinforced with carbon and glass fiber. Aeroptera says the material allowed it to “challenge the limits of 3D-printed structures with incredible material strength and stiffness”. Polymaker was so impressed with the students’ design and progress that it came on board as the project’s lead sponsor.

The drone’s modular design allows full customization. The frame is designed around a Pixhawk 6C flight controller and a 4S 4500 mAh battery, but motors, propellers, ESCs, and telemetry can all be swapped. It has a payload of up to 1.5kg and has a takeoff weight of up to 5kg, and is designed to be able to be repaired quickly in the field. Its STL files are also freely available for download, with detailed printing instructions and recommendations.

“The idea to start Aeroptera originated from a conversation with a professor of environmental science in Ann Arbor.” explained Jianjing Hou, Founder and President of Aeroptera. “I came to realize that for many environmental researchers around the world, drones are a necessary yet exclusive platform. I became committed to the notion that scientific drone platforms should not be a luxury for environmental researchers that are working to benefit the world.  

“Lace is our first step into achieving the promises of an open and accessible platform that could empower researchers around the globe. To us, 3D printing is the key technology that would enable Lace to be manufactured almost anywhere, at a very acceptable cost.”

Lace’s developmental journey is marked by impressive collaborations. In addition to Polymaker’s backing, engineers from Autel Robotics in Shenzhen, China, were consulted on the framework build, and it was tested at altitude in Lhasa, Tibet, with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Next up for Aeroptera is Lace II, which is being developed with support from researchers at the University of Iowa and engineers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It’ll have a reworked frame designed around carbon fiber reinforced PETG (provided, of course, by Polymaker), and the updated chassis will have canted motors, higher torsional deformation resistance, and improved stiffness.