Israel has officially launched its first operational 3D-printed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), defense intelligence magazine Janes reported on Monday.

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The UAV, which was produced by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was developed over the past year and made its first successful test flight in December 2019. Named “SkysPrinter,” it was made from 26 parts printed using metal, nylon, carbon, and complex materials, Janes reported. Its body is 1.65 meters-long, has a wingspan of 1.5 meters, and a take-off weight of 7 kilograms (15 pounds).

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The idea was conceived by head of the Flight Technologies Department within the ministry, Neta Blum, who told Janes a “printing technique known as selective laser sintering (SLS) allows new designs of the SkysPrinter to be rapidly produced in line with operational feedback from commanders on the ground.” The fast-paced production method has “significant advantages,” Blum said, as field feedback […]

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