Additive Manufacturing On-Demand Manufacturing Solutions for the Drone Industry

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Protolabs has expanded its range of services for drone manufacturers. In addition to 3D printing technologies that give development teams greater design freedom in the production of lightweight components, the company has expanded its range of materials specifically for drone applications.

Since 2023, Protolabs’ revenue from drone customers has grown by more than 90 percent, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just under 40 percent. This is a clear indication of the drone industry’s continued strong demand for fast, on-demand manufacturing. Leading companies rely on Protolabs across the entire spectrum of services, from prototyping to mass production.“The industry is highly competitive, and drone developers are innovating at a pace usually seen only in software development,” reports Suresh Krishna, President and CEO of Protolabs.&According to market researchers, the global drone industry is currently valued at up to 60 billion euros ($69.6 billion) a and is expected to grow to 123 billion euros ($142.68 billion) over the next ten years—corresponding to a projected annual growth rate of 9.5 percent. This growth is driven by rising investments in aerospace and defense, complemented by the booming market for commercial drone applications, which is providing momentum in both the short and long term. 

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Through its partnership with HP Additive, Protolabs has further expanded its Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing capabilities to create additional production capacity specifically tailored to drone manufacturers. The technology gives development teams greater design freedom while meeting strict weight requirements, and enables thin-walled, nearly translucent components that still offer the necessary strength and performance. In the drone industry, MJF is primarily used for the rapid production of lightweight, aerodynamic, and highly customized components—such as air ducts, housings, mounts, and plug-in enclosures that are specifically optimized for avionics cooling, field maintenance, and payload integration. Protolabs also has ISO 9001-certified 3D printing capabilities for manufacturing components that meet particularly high standards.

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Expanded Range of Materials 

In addition, the Protolabs Network now offers solutions for larger, more complex parts with tighter tolerances. The range of materials offered by the network of carefully vetted manufacturing partners has recently grown by nearly 50 percent, with a particular focus on materials for the aerospace industry. Of the 75 material options now available, the following are particularly relevant for drone manufacturing:

• Inconel 625: A nickel superalloy valued for its high tensile strength and heat resistance, even under extreme conditions. Typical applications in drones include engine stators, rotors, exhaust nozzles, and turbine blades.
• AISI 4130: This chromium-molybdenum alloy (chromoly steel) offers a high strength-to-weight ratio. It is used in internal engine mounts and landing gear assemblies for drones.
• Aluminum 5754: This aluminum-magnesium alloy offers impressive light weight, good formability, and corrosion resistance, and is often chosen for the outer structure of drones, sheet metal enclosures, and mounts.