3D printing’s role in drone manufacturing has progressed over the years, slowly becoming more prevalent in this product’s production life cycle. Today many drones include 3D printed parts, such as propellers, fuel tanks, and frames. This rise in 3D printing for drones has been driven largely by the defense industry, which has an increased need for smaller drones amid current geopolitical tensions.
The military and Department of Defense use 3D printing to improve their drones’ capabilities and to have a reliable supply chain for drones, regardless of location. These advantages have increased 3D printing adoption in many industries, but have also significantly accelerated its growth in drone manufacturing.
Drones are poised for further growth as society becomes more digital and 3D printing enables this advancement.
Diving Into Drone Manufacturing
3D printing is a relatively new technology that has been introduced into drone production — just 10 years ago, injection molding was the standard for these products. Now, 3D printing is heavily utilized in the research and development stage of drone manufacturing, with 3D printed parts comprising around 10 to 15% of production drones.
That’s according to Neil Glazebrook, Vice President of 3D Printing Solutions at ABCorp. ABCorp’s 3D division manufactures a variety of different 3D products, including drone parts. Glazebrook cites the company’s 3D printers — HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) systems — as some of the best options for 3D printing drone parts.
“The MJF systems are adept at making strong, lightweight frames for drones,” states Glazebrook. “Plus, we use UV-resistant materials to give the drones greater longevity.”
Glazebrook describes newer drone parts as being designed for 3D printing, often having a skeletal-like or lattice design. These parts can’t be replicated with injection molding. This enables drones with 3D printed parts to have enhanced capabilities.
While there aren’t many fully 3D-printed drones, outside of a few examples, drone manufacturers across various industries are increasingly using 3D-printed parts. Glazebrook explains that in drone production processes, 3D printing is primarily used for rapid prototyping and low-volume production of under 10,000 parts per year, two areas where the technology is especially suited.
“Manufacturers are using 3D printing to change drone designs in real time. They’re designing, printing, and changing out drone parts all in the same day,” says Glazebrook. “They’re iterating so quickly, the only thing that works is 3D printing.”
With the industry finally starting to design parts for 3D printing, many new products now incorporate 3D-printed components. Whether a drone maker needs to iterate quickly or produce a replacement drone part, 3D printing provides the flexibility to accomplish this faster and create a better product.
Improving Drone Performance With 3D Printed Parts
3D printed drone parts aren’t a replica of their injection-molded counterparts, but rather have their own design. These designs dramatically reduce the weight of drone airframes.
“In drone manufacturing, weight is incredibly important, just like anything manufactured in aerospace,” explains Glazebrook. “The lighter you can make the airframe, the better. This allows for longer flight times.”
Lighter airframes for drones also allow for more weight in other areas, such as drone attachments like cameras and sensors, or potentially more carrying capacity. “With 3D printing, instead of putting weight in the body, manufacturers can put it toward the actual technology that improves drones and their capabilities,” Glazebrook adds.
In general, drones manufactured with 3D printed parts tend to be lighter and stronger than traditionally manufactured drones. This has a positive impact on features like speed, air hang time, and payload carrying capacity.
“Drones have so much potential, both in the defense industry and beyond,” says Glazebrook. “If 3D printed parts can help make drones lighter, stronger, faster, that creates even more opportunities for this product to make life easier.”
The Future of 3D Printing in Drones
Many modern drones incorporate 3D-printed parts, particularly those of higher-end models and those used in defense applications. As use cases expand and designs advance, 3D printing is likely to play an even bigger role in the drone production process in the future.
3D printing is becoming increasingly prevalent, and for industries heavily reliant on drones, such as defense, it’s a crucial tool to ensure their drones remain functional and perform optimally. In these scenarios, drones don’t just make life easier; they can save lives.
“It’s likely that drones are going to start taking over a lot more of our lives,” says Glazebrook. “There are defense use cases, especially with aerial drones, but there are also ground drones that have significant potential use cases in healthcare, package delivery, and warehousing. So, you’re definitely going to see more and more drones over the next decade.”
As demand for 3D printing in drones increases, ABCorp 3D has the knowledge and equipment to scale with expanded production. If you’re a manufacturer interested in 3D printing, whether for drones or other industrial use cases, reach out to learn more about ABCorp 3D’s capabilities. And if you want to learn even more about what 3D printing can do, attend RAPID + TCT: North America’s largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event. The 2026 event takes place in Boston, featuring a conference from April 13-16 and exhibits April 14-16.
Bio:
Neil Glazebrook, VP of 3D Solutions at ABCorp
ABCorp is a secure on-demand manufacturer of 3D printing parts from low to high-volume production using the HP MJF solutions and automated robotics and inspection technology. With over 26 years in manufacturing, Neil has previously worked as a director of Sales and Operations, Mold & Coating Manager, Capital Additive Sales, HP Product Manager, and CNC Programmer in the job shops and injection molding industry. Neil holds a BS in Business and Law from Curry College of Milton, MA, and he currently resides in central Massachusetts. His goal is to bring manufacturing closer to ABCorp’s customers with enterprise-scale manufacturing on-demand using the latest technology in 3D printing, robotics, and inspection.