Xenia Materials collaborates with Politecnico di Milano on innovative drone
Working with Milanese academic institution on development of unmanned aircraft for humanitarian missions
Xenia, a reinforced thermoplastic composites for injection moulding and additive manufacturing company, has partnered with Fly-Mi EUROAVIA Milano, the student association of the Politecnico di Milano, to support the development of O.L.I.V.I.A. (Optimized Lightweight Intelligent Vehicle for Immediate Assistance), an autonomous drone.
O.L.I.V.I.A. has been designed to compete in the UAS Challenge 2025, held in the UK, and the project marks the second consecutive year of cooperation between the Italian company and the Fly-Mi team. They previously worked together on the successful NYX project.
The drone is fixed-wing and capable of fully autonomous missions, and can carry a payload of up to 1.75kg. To achieve the precise aerodynamic and structural requirements of its high wing, the team needed molds capable of withstanding autoclave lamination cycles. For this, Xenia’s XECARB 40-C20-3DP was called upon.
The composite is a high-performance 3D-printable polycarbonate reinforced with 20% carbon fiber, and which can withstand multiple autoclave cycles at 120°C and 2-bar without deformation. It makes it ideal for the machinability required for the production process, and the dimensional stability and thermal resistance needed for an aerodynamically efficient wing.
“Xenia’s XECARB 40-C20-3DP material allowed us to create molds that were precise, strong and easy to work with during the autoclave lamination process,” stated the Fly-Mi EUROAVIA Milano team.
“Having reliable molds was crucial to achieving the aerodynamic performance and structural quality needed for O.L.I.V.I.A., and it played a major role in helping us secure third place in the competition.”
This second collaboration highlighted Xenia’s dedication to supporting and promoting research in the field of advanced composites for the next generation of engineers. The company’s Academic & Research Support Program is an initiative to help advance knowledge and experience between its industry experts and academic counterparts.
