US Army innovation lab refining small UAS training

Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division developed an airframe that can hold components to operate a first-person view drone. (Janes/Meredith Roaten)

A new lab at the 1st Cavalry Division is developing 3D-printed airframes that can carry electro-optical sensors for training small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operators, the division officers told Janes on 1 October.

Soldiers can 3D-print a UAS frame within seven hours using carbon-fibre-nylon filament and integrate batteries and sensors within an additional 30 minutes. This comes as the Pentagon has directed all units in the US forces to incorporate UASs into training exercises.

Previously, “there was no equipment issued with soldiers”, Chief Warrant Officer Rob Gatta, officer in charge for the 1st Cavalry Concepts and Capabilities Laboratory (1-C3 Lab), said in a 1 October interview. Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) and Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) UAS Program of Records (PORs) had not yet made it to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. Another option was to purchase an expensive UAS from the Defense Innovation Unit's Blue UAS List, which has mostly more exquisite, expensive systems.

At first, the lab tried to print frames using the Prusa and Bambu printers, but they did not have the tensile strength for airframes. Now, the lab uses Pantheon printers, which use a carbon-fibre-nylon filament with a similar tensile strength to aluminium.