US Army Research Lab develops 3D printed drone co-designed with soldiers
The $1,000 unmanned experimental aerial system – dubbed SPARTA – combines helicopter and fixed-wing flight and can be printed overnight
Researchers at the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) have developed an experimental 3D printed small unmanned aerial system called the Soldier Portable Autonomous Reconnaissance Transitioning Aircraft, or SPARTA.
SPARTA was built around direct soldier input gathered during a spring visit to ARL, where troops identified the need for a lightweight, modular platform that could be assembled, repaired, and adapted in the field.
The drone weighs two pounds (approximately 900 grams) and combines the vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter with the forward-winged flight of an airplane. This hybrid design is intended to extend endurance beyond that of conventional quad-rotor drones, and SPARTA has an expected flight time of 30 to 60 minutes and a range of more than 30 kilometers, depending on payload, operating below 150 metres above ground level.
“Our team at ARL has been working on new types of small unmanned aerial system designs for several years,” stated Dr. John Hrynuk, Mechanical Engineer at DEVCOM ARL. “When soldiers visited ARL last spring, they expressed the need for a lightweight, modular drone that could be easily assembled, repaired and adapted in the field. Building on previous designs, we developed SPARTA based on their input. By August, we started delivering prototypes for experimentation.”
An entire SPARTA airframe can be 3D printed overnight and assembled without specialized tools. Its electronics bay uses a large, open-bay layout that allows components to be swapped in minutes to meet mission-specific needs.
“When Soldiers are asked to learn to fly expensive, commercially available drones, they worry about crashing them and then fly less often,” Hrynuk said. “With SPARTA, we kept the total cost at just over $1,000 and found that the easily replaceable 3D printed airframe absorbs most of the damage from a crash. The electronics can be reused once the next airframe print is complete.”
Field experimentation and mobile manufacturing
Last fall, soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division tested SPARTA during the Danger Gauntlet exercise at Fort Riley, Kansas — a multi-day field training event involving combat scenarios, tactical maneuvers, and live-fire exercises. The exercise integrated SPARTA alongside the Buildable Innovation Shop for Operational Needs (BISON), a mobile makerspace equipped with 3D printers and drone development tools.
“The BISON system allows Soldiers to manufacture, assemble and repair their own drones at the point of need,” said Dr. Arwen DeCostanza, ARL Program Manager for Catalyst Pathfinder and Accelerating Force. “Whether it’s SPARTA or another design, Soldiers can use BISON to create mission-specific solutions on demand. This capability significantly enhances operational flexibility and effectiveness.”
ARL subsequently supplied SPARTA to the 11th Airborne Division, supporting construction, operation, and flight testing in realistic operational scenarios while gathering feedback for further design refinements. Winners of the Best Drone Warfighter Competition received a SPARTA prototype and a one-year research-and-development memorandum of agreement with ARL.
“We offered to share several SPARTA platforms with the winners of the competition,” said Dr. Asha Hall, ARL Branch Chief. “We want to continue to provide science and technology support to Soldier innovations and foster cross collaboration between the ARL platforms team and Army units.”
ARL is now engaging with industry to transition SPARTA for mass production.
“We laid the scientific groundwork, collaborated with Soldiers to develop a new product, and now, we can deliver a new commercial market for industry, markets that will manufacture this technology to add a new capability for our Soldiers,” Hrynuk added.
At the start of the year, the US Marine Corps’ 2nd Marine Logistics Group developed in-house the force’s first National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliant 3D printed drone.
