Taiwan has partnered with American aerospace firm RapidFlight to explore the potential of 3D printing in rapidly producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The move aims to establish a drone production line that utilizes cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and processes in the face of increasing threats from China.
According to RapidFlight, additive manufacturing results in lower production costs and helps reduce the storage footprint of UAVs by a “factor of 10.”
It also reportedly allows swapping out payloads, propulsion systems, communications suites, and other critical components “to more readily fulfill the operational needs of users.”
The Virginia-based firm will collaborate with Taiwanese drone manufacturer Thunder Tiger Group on the initiative.
Meeting Production Goals
The partnership was established following reports that Taiwan and the US will need more low-cost drones to effectively defend against China in case of an invasion.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defence recently proposed spending $175 million over the next five years to acquire around 3,200 drones.
It also expressed its intention to build an “army of drones” similar to that in Ukraine.
But in order to meet this goal, the defense base in Taiwan will reportedly need to expand rapidly and utilize modern manufacturing strategies.
With the recently-inked partnership, the two companies are expected to leverage their extensive understanding of additive manufacturing for aerospace applications to enhance the country’s drone capabilities.