A new personal drone concept by Backcountry Drones makes heavy use of 3D printing.
The drone market is exploding and Backcountry Drones has been exploring the idea of producing a rugged, easily transportable drone for back country use. Such a device could see over hills and locate landmarks not visible from the ground. But most drones are pretty fragile and would risk damage if hauled through a long hike.
Backcountry Drones developed a unique concept for their drone involving a cylindrical design with spring-loaded propellor blades. It’s an amazing design that looks very much like a water bottle, which implies it’s easily carried by hikers. Check out the video below to see how the spring-loaded props eliminate the need for landing gear.
Of course, the product used 3D printing technology to iterate the design of the case. Multiple parts compose the drone, providing not only support for the engine and electronics, but also a robust case capable of surviving in the wild. We can easily imagine such a machine crashing into trees, falling significant distances or pushing the edge of the landing envelope.
The project is still in development, but they hope to launch a crowdfunding campaign soon, where they hope to raise funds to transform the prototype made by 3D printing into a manufacturable product.
