From capturing cinematic footage at freezing high altitudes to mapping in scorching deserts, Freefly Systems, drones need to be reliable, robust, lightweight, and high-performance, and carry valuable equipment in extreme conditions.
“We're an innovation company; anything that gets your idea to the world more quickly is what we live for. So that can be new software packages that allow us to run simulations and figure out an airfoil more quickly than ever, or a 3D printer — anything that improves the velocity and allows people to get their creativity into the world more quickly than before is what we're excited about.”
Tabb Firchau, Co-founder and CEO, Freefly Systems
Freefly Systems’ roots are in cinema. Firchau says, “The reason why our drones are so reliable is because I started off flying a $200,000 camera and lens package.” But what makes Freefly drones so reliable is the rigorous testing, iterating, and flight time that brings them from innovative concepts into the air. And one of the tools behind this iteration is Formlabs Fuse Series Ecosystem.
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Prototyping Robust, Reliable Drones With Fuse Series
Parts for the Alta X Gen2 were prototyped on the Fuse Series ecosystem.
“The Fuse is one of the most versatile tools we have for prototyping. We’re constantly trying new ideas and we need to move quickly, so having a tool that lets us do that is really important.”
Nate Kuczun, Payloads and Systems Engineer, Freefly Systems
Freefly drones can hold payloads up to 35 lb, including expensive camera gear or LiDAR. Not only do they need to be nimble and reliable, but they also need to be robust. Freefly’s design decisions are grounded in flight data, so getting components into the air and seeing how they perform is key to product life cycles.
“In drones, iteration cycles are often significantly faster than most aerospace projects. In a lot of other aerospace systems, it’s much harder to get real flight data. But here we can actually test things in the real world pretty quickly. Having the Fuse allows us to come up with a really quick and easy way to get hardware onto our drones for different testing.”
Nate Kuczun, Payloads and Systems Engineer, Freefly Systems
Nate Kuczun, Payloads and Systems Engineer, says that Freefly gets hundreds to thousands of hours of flight time on a drone before it’s released, including five years of accelerated lifestyle testing, which means prototypes need to be flight-worthy.
3D printing prototypes enables Kuczun and the Freefly team to understand and refine a part’s performance before spending thousands of dollars on tooling. When Kuczun first started at Freefly, they were using a legacy SLS printer. While getting parts to test overnight was appealing, Kuczun spent a lot of his time cleaning the printer and troubleshooting issues. Getting the Fuse Series was a game-changer for him. He says, “The Fuse has been a total workhorse. It's been amazingly reliable and robust for us. I can send a job, and I just know that the prints will be there the next day, which is awesome.”
Freefly’s design decisions are grounded in flight data, so getting drones in the air is a key part of iterating.
Moving in-house 3D printing to the Fuse Series saved time and labor, enabling Kuczun to iterate faster. Additionally, he credits Fuse Blast with helping to streamline the workflow, delivering parts next day for reviews.
The geometric complexity enabled by SLS 3D printing makes it easier for Kuczun to design for purpose rather than manufacturing constraints. “I can design crazy, weird shapes, and if it helps us get through our R&D process a lot faster,” he says.
Antenna Masts
Alta X Gen2 has a dual GPS system. This part houses both GPS and radio antennas, and went through numerous iterations on the Fuse Series. The complex part has a lot of fine, internal structures.
FPV Camera Mount
Initial prototyping of this part was done with FDM 3D printers. The part includes fine details inside the casing, and the FDM-printed parts kept breaking. With Fuse Series 3D printers, they were able to make design changes the same day, print overnight, and test the next day. Fuse Series 3D printers were able to print the fine internal features and deliver a robust FPV mount that slots into the side bay.
Mount Power
This part, used on all aircraft, was originally prototyped on the Fuse Series before being injection molded. Here, the 3D printed prototype is held over the final part on the manufacturing line.
Mounts for GPS and LiDAR
Mounts for GPS and LiDAR were prototyped on Fuse Series 3D printers, enabling the team to quickly iterate and test before committing to final parts. The production part is machined aluminum.
Rapid Tooling for US Manufacturing
Freefly manufactures all their drones in-house in Washington state in the US. This gives them complete control over the manufacturing process, ensuring quality. 3D printing jigs and fixtures means the Freefly team doesn’t need to worry about geometric constraints, can quickly deliver tools to the assembly line, and reprint fixtures if replacements are required.
OLED Screen Alignment Fixture
This production assembly fixture for a Pilot Pro control is printed on Fuse Series printers, and pins and magnets are then pressed in. The screen is placed in the fixture, and then the magnetic part is placed on top. This piece ensures the screen is properly aligned.
End-Use Parts Reduce Supply Chain Uncertainty
While many parts are functionally prototyped on Fuse Series 3D printers and then injection-molded or machined, some parts are both prototyped and manufactured on Fuse Series printers.
Kuczun sets up Herelink Radio Module Components in PreForm for printing. These parts are manufactured in-house on the Fuse Series.
Once printed, parts are depowdered in Fuse Sift before being polished in Fuse Blast. Kuczun says that Fuse Blast has streamlined the workflow.
Herelink Radio Module Component
This part is hidden inside the drone, so functionality is more important than appearance. Freefly decided to print it in-house as a way of saving time and reducing supply chain uncertainty.
Nylon 12 Powder: A Versatile Material
“Nylon 12 is a good general-use material. It’s strong enough that we can test the form and fit of it, and we’ve flown Fuse-printed parts.”
Nate Kuczun, Payloads and Systems Engineer, Freefly Systems
Freefly uses Nylon 12 Powder in both their Fuse 1 and their Fuse 1+ 30W. This general-purpose material is ideal for both functional prototyping and end-use production of complex assemblies and durable parts with high environmental stability. The strength, durability, and light weight make it good for a full range of applications, from flight-testing parts that will eventually be injection molded or CNC machined for manufacturing end-use parts.
Request a Free Nylon Powder Sample Part
Formlabs offers seven SLS powders with a range of mechanical and visual properties. Choose a free sample printed on the Fuse 1+30W to see them for yourself.
Flying Into the Future
“We continue to push towards making our products the easiest possible to use — and make sure that they're super robust and reliable along the way.”
Nate Kuczun, Payloads and Systems Engineer, Freefly Systems
Freefly drones are working on filming the latest blockbusters, putting out wildfires, aiding bridge and wind turbine inspections, mapping natural disasters, and more. But Freefly isn’t stopping there, they’re hard at work pushing drone and camera innovation further — and Fuse Series is one of the tools they’re using to propel that work.
Are you ready for innovation to take flight? Explore SLS 3D printers to learn more or contact sales to start printing.