3D Printing Drone Parts with Nylon 3D printing in MJF and SLS

A Royal Air Force Reaper UAV is pictured airborne

3D Printed Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s)

Military drones are now deployed extensively during operations. There are many different types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each playing a specific role in the airspace:

Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones for reconnaissance, observation, target acquisition, and situational awareness.
Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) are armed combat drones for precision strikes.
Kamikaze (or loitering munitions) drones circle above an area and then plunge into a target.
Tactical short-range drones for ground troops, used for short-range, rapid operations.
Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones operate at medium altitudes and are suitable for long-term surveillance and armed missions.
High-altitude long-endurance (HALE) drones fly high for strategic observation and communication.
Cargo or resupply drones provide logistics, such as the transport of ammunition, medical supplies, or other cargo.

Reconnaissance units employ the tiny Black Hornet drone to enhance patrol efficiency and operational safety. Photo: Ministry of Defence Netherlands

Key Properties of Nylon (PA12)

Polyamide 12, also known as PA12 or Nylon 12, is a key material in 3D printing military UAVs. It is thermoplastic polymer with an operating temperature of up to approximately 100°C. It is tough, has high impact resistance at low temperatures, and is resistant to mild acids and bases. Nylon 12 has good chemical resistance to greases, oils, fuels, hydraulic fluids, and many solvents. PA12 retains a large portion of its mechanical properties at high humidity due to its low moisture absorption. The material is very suitable for 3d printing drones.

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Properties of Nylon Composites (PA12 GF, PA640GSL, PA603 CF)

PA12 GF (Glass-Filled Nylon 12) is PA12 reinforced with fiberglass (usually 30%). This makes it stiffer and stronger than standard PA12. It has a slightly higher heat resistance (100-120°C, depending on the mechanical stress), exhibits less warping, and is less flexible.

PA 603-CF is a composite material based on PA12, reinforced with 33% carbon fiber. It has a much higher stiffness than standard PA12 or PA12 GF, high tensile and flexural strength, and low thermal expansion. Depending on the mechanical stress, it can withstand temperatures up to 173-179°C (heat deflection temperature (HDT)). The carbon fiber makes the composite a lightweight material with moderate to low toughness.

PA 640-GSL is a PA12 composite filled with hollow glass beads and carbon fibers. This high-performance material is very stiff and lightweight, has excellent dimensional stability, and is more heat-resistant (approximately 170°C) than standard PA12. Due to its excellent properties, PA640-GSL is widely used in military UAVs, where structural performance per gram is essential.

The Reaper drone is a large, armed, medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft used for persistent surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and precision strikes. Photo: POA(Phot) Tam McDonald/MOD (OGL v1.0).

Nylon (PA12) 3D Printing Drones Components for Military UAVs

Many critical drone components are made of nylon or nylon composites. Compared to FDM materials like PLA or PETG, nylon composites offer significantly higher isotropic strength and vibration resistance. PA12 is suitable for lightweight, strong, and dimensionally stable components such as frames, motor brackets, mounting points, and technical housings.

Drones benefit from the high stiffness, structural integrity, and durability of PA12 GF. This composite is ideal for parts subject to high mechanical stress, such as fixed-wing drone wings, fuselages, landing gear, and sometimes rotor and propeller blades.

PA 603-CF and PA 640-GSL are found in the same parts as PA12 GF. An additional advantage is their heat resistance, allowing PA603-CF and PA 640-GSL to be used in hot spots, such as near the engine.

Model of a Drone Propellor ready for 3D Printing. Photo: Palmer 2022 – CC BY 4.0

Benefits of Nylon 3D Printing

Nylon and its composites are highly suitable for 3D printing. SLS and MJF processes are the standard for nylon 3D printing because they produce strong and precise parts. For UAV engineers, this offers three key advantages:

Rapid design adjustments: A new drone design or part can be printed, tested, modified, and reprinted in hours instead of weeks.
Low costs for early testing: No molds, CNC machines, or series production are required.
Complex geometries: Engineers can test aerodynamically optimized shapes that are difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.

Benefits of Multi-Material 3D Printing for Defence Drones

Multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) allows you to combine different materials within a single design. This offers design freedom that is difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional production techniques. The benefits are particularly significant for drones – where lightweight, rigidity, functionality, and rapid iteration are crucial.

Fewer parts and less assembly: by combining rigid and flexible zones in a single print, screw connections, adhesive joints, and separate holders, clips, and clamps are eliminated.
Multi-material printing allows functional elements to be incorporated directly into the design. Think of electrically conductive pathways or connector interfaces, magnetic zones, seals or gaskets (e.g., in housings), vibration dampers under flight controllers and sensors, and integrated hinges or snap connections.
Fewer loose parts means less air resistance, fewer potential failure points, and greater design freedom for aerodynamic optimization. Some AM techniques enable gradual material transitions, for example, a stiff outer layer and a flexible core, zones of higher density where shocks are absorbed, or varying thermal conductivities.

Conclusion

3D printing of nylon offers enormous advantages to drone designers and manufacturers. Using 3D printing and MMAM, parts can be produced quickly and efficiently, complex geometries can be realized, and costs can be saved in early testing. Multi-material 3D printing takes this a step further by combining different materials in a single design. This allows specific parts to be reinforced, protected, or made flexible. These two technologies enable lighter, stiffer, and more reliable UAV designs that can be deployed more quickly in the defence industry due to reduced tooling and assembly, and shorter iterations.

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