From prototype to production, achieve unmatched performance, design freedom, and scalability with HP’s Additive Manufacturing Solutions
Struggling with challenges in your UAV 3D printing process?
Flight Performance
Looking to boost aerodynamics and elevate flight performance?
Redesign and Testing
Experiencing delays due to long redesign and retooling cycles?
Customization
Need to efficiently produce complex or customized drone components??
Cost
Dealing with high tooling costs, specially for low-to mid volume production?
Scaling up
Facing difficulties scaling up to meet growing demand?
If you answered yes to any of these, HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) can help.
Discover the HP MJF advantages for 3D printing UAVs:
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Performance: lightweight strength meets functional design
- In drone manufacturing, every gram counts. HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) enables the production of lightweight yet mechanically robust components that can withstand the stresses of flight, vibration, and environmental exposure.
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Scalability: from prototype to production without compromise
- One of the most powerful aspects of HP MJF is its ability to scale seamlessly. Whether you’re producing a single prototype or thousands of end-use parts, HP MJF delivers industrial-grade consistency and high throughput—without the need for tooling or mold changes.
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Rapid iteration: accelerating innovation in UAV design
- Innovation in the drone industry moves fast—and so should your development process. HP MJF empowers teams to iterate quickly and confidently, using the same materials and processes from concept through production.
See how innovative brands are transforming their UAV 3D printing with HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology
25% weight reduction across 48+ drone components
Customer case study: Blueflite
Overcoming injection molding barriers in drones production
Customer case study: Neco
Achieving lightweight, modular, and aesthetically refined components
Customer case study: Vecros
Pushing the limits of drone design with ultra-light airframes
Specializing in advanced aerial surveillance and environmental monitoring, The Eye Above aimed to enhance the design of its ground-breaking drones by creating an airframe with ultra-thin walls, structured into cells to achieve an optimal strength-to-weight ratio.
Deep-dive: How HP MJF is transforming UAV 3D printing across industries
From ecological restoration to modular underwater vehicles and high-performance aircraft systems, 3D printed drones are redefining what’s possible in UAV design and production. Powered by HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, companies like Inverto Earth, Framework Robotics, and UAV Works are accelerating development, reducing costs, and unlocking new levels of customization and performance.
CATEGORY 1 INNOVATIONS
Category 1 fixed-wing UAVs typically feature wingspans below two meters and Maximum Take-Off Weights (MTOW) under nine kilograms. These aircraft are widely used across applications that require lightweight construction and scalable production methods.
Conventional UAV airframes are commonly manufactured using Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam or carbon fiber composite materials. Foam structures support low-cost production but can present limitations in durability and assembly efficiency, while carbon fiber airframes provide greater strength at the expense of increased manufacturing complexity and cost.
Optimized process parameters combined with the HP Jet Fusion 5600 3D Printing Solution enable drone manufacturers to produce rigid yet lightweight structures with intricate features down to 0.5 millimeters. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles also support accelerated design iteration and production consistency.
HP Concept S Drone
HP Additive highlights its HP Concept S drone demonstrator as an example of how MJF technology can support lightweight structural performance, simplified assembly workflows, and scalable additive manufacturing for Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) fixed-wing UAV platforms.
The HP Concept S drone features a 2.5-kilogram MTOW and a 1.5-meter wingspan. Its optimized structure combines standard carbon fiber profiles with MJF-produced components engineered to support operational loads and safety requirements.
The complete drone can be printed within half of a single build area, enabling annual production capacity exceeding 1,200 units on an HP Jet Fusion 5600 system. The aircraft airframe was engineered with a total weight below 500 grams, with less than 180 grams allocated to the wing structures.
Several design features were incorporated to reduce assembly complexity and labor requirements. Mechanical assembly can be completed in less than 30 minutes using integrated clipping systems that minimize screw usage, while electrical wiring integration is simplified through sacrificial printed features built into the structure.
Three separate design iterations of the platform were developed and tested within a three-month period, demonstrating how MJF technology can accelerate development timelines and support rapid product refinement.
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