naval on-board fabrication of drones

Bgray

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I read an article some time ago about projects involving the fast fabrication of drones, or at least the drone airframe on naval ships, mianly to allow for the most space efficient storage of the drones. But I can't find it now, and I am extremely frustrated :mad: . Can anyone help me find any articles on this subject? I'd be very grateful.
 
IDK how much space you'd gain by fabrication. You'd be swapping storage space for a machine shop and lead time to get a new drone operational.
What can be done (and what is common in the RC aircraft world) is to build drones for easy assembly: quick-attachment fittings for the wings and tailplanes mean you can store them efficiently, and still be ready to fly in 5 minutes.
 
If one was after something relatively simple and was willing sacrifice the drones (and who shouldn't be), one could 3D print them out.
 
Yeqah, the problem is that when I gtry to find the document, I get a billion hits for spare parts, etc, and nothing for what I'm looking for. 'tis annoying.
 
For the sort of size of thing one could produce via AM, AM wouldn't give the strength to weight ratios required. Still can't beat good old fashioned ;) carbon fibre!


Yes, yes I know - people have produced them via AM but only as a 'can it be done?' sort of excercise. The last one I saw made via AM, the bare airframe felt like it was already fitted out...
 
GTX said:
If one was after something relatively simple and was willing sacrifice the drones (and who shouldn't be), one could 3D print them out.

The basic airframe, sure. But you'd still have to fit the sensors, engine, actuators, avionics etc, so a bunch of manual labor before the drone is flight-ready.
With the move by several navies in the past decades from highly-optimized but cramped vessels toward larger ships that are easier to build, combined with the move to decrease manpower requirements, I just don't see a compelling argument in favor of in-situ production.
 
Wasn't that a navy Carderock(?) naval postgrad ship design report? The idea was a logistics ship, using AM and other automated assembly methods to build up small cargo UAV gliders to provide pinpoint logistics of small resupply (ammo, underwear,etc.), to be launched by a long curved EMALS catapult that runs through the interior of the ship before exiting near the bow.

Can't seem to find the URL offhand...
 
Here's some citations and/or PDFs related to the concept:

http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA476380

http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA430083

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a468743.pdf

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a477165.pdf


http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a524473.pdf


I should note that the new layout of the site is acting up a bit, but you should be able to access the PDFs okay.


In other news: http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/paris-air-show/2015/06/15/concept-visions-missiles-on-demand-in-the-field/28785013/
 
Currently, the Royal Canadian Navy only has 3D printing and CNC mills in its Halifax dockyard. By the end of the next decade (2030) I can foresee some of that technology going to sea, initially on supply ships, but eventually on all the frigates.

Consider what happens on board an arctic patrol vessel that breaks a critical pump a thousand kilometres from Halifax. If they had a metal 3D printer or milling machine on board, they could built a temporary pump to keep them going for a couple of weeks until an official replacement pump-arrives. Even a custom plumbing adapter would allow them to jury-rig a much larger or smaller pump to an existing system.

With modern electronics you can carry print or cut files for every part of your ship on a thumb drive or three.

Or what if a Canadian warship is transiting off the coast of Central America when the mission suddenly changes to supporting earthquake victims? First they need photo recce drones, then they need IR drones, then they need thermal imaging drones, then they need to deliver fire-extinguishers, then they need to deliver fresh water, then they need to deliver water filters, then they need to deliver medical supplies, etc. One model of drone auto-pilot can quickly have a dozen different air frames wrapped around it.
 

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