New Research Considers ‘Growing’ Drones

    • admin@nie.com
    • Publish Date: Jul 25 2016 1:28PM
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    • Updated Date: Jul 25 2016 1:28PM
New Research Considers ‘Growing’ Drones

A radical new machine called Chemputer can open up new horizons in military aircraft technologies

Can you chemically ‘grow’ a military drone? It sounds like an idea for a science fiction film, but in the UK, scientists and engineers are spending time and money to see if they can do exactly that. British warplanes are already flying with parts made from a 3D printer. Researchers are using the same technology to build drones. 

The military advantage is obvious — building equipment quickly and close to the battlefield — without long waits and long supply chains. It gives an enormous advantage over any enemy. 

SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine) is a combined cycle rocket engine with the potential to revolutionise hypersonic flight and the economics of space access

 

Chemical reactions 

But the latest innovation being developed by Prof Lee Cronin at Glasgow University takes 3D printing to another level. With industrial advice from BAE Systems, he is developing something called a ‘chemputer’ which, in theory, would be able to ‘grow’ small scale unmanned aircraft, or drones in a laboratory. 

While a 3D printer physically makes the parts for a machine, the ‘Chemputer’ speeds up the chemical reactions from the molecular level. Such a breakthrough could mean it will take weeks rather than months or years to build an aircraft from scratch. 

An animated video of what it might be like is almost a scene out of Star Wars – Attack of the Clones. Prof Cronin admits that creating even small aircraft out of chemicals “would be very challenging”. But he says that by developing an autonomous digital synthesis engine they will be able to assemble “complex objects with minimal human assistance”. At least at some point in the future. 

High-speed aircraft 

Computer-generated image of chemically grown military drones

 

A small British company, Reaction Engines Limited, is already developing a rocket that could, one day, fly at hypersonic speeds. Hypersonic speed is roughly defined as Mach 5 and above (Mach 1 is about 760mph).

BAE Systems has invested more than £20m in the project. It sees the potential for developing military aircraft that could reach a target much faster than any jet. Flying at high speed and high altitude in space, it could also avoid air defence systems and anti-aircraft missiles. 

BAE Systems has produced an animation that shows such an aircraft delivering swift support to special forces troops thousands of miles away. Rather than bombs, the rocket releases small surveillance drones. But it is clear the defence industry is already looking at their potential use on the battlefield. 

The advance for commercial flight too is pretty obvious, slashing the time to cross the Atlantic. Before dismissing such ideas as the stuff of nonsense, it is always worth remembering the speed of change. 

Scientists and engineers are working on chemically
grown military drones

 

3D printers in military 

Some US Navy aircraft carriers already have their own 3D printers. Armed forces across the world are also relying much more on unmanned land, air and underwater vehicles that can work remotely. Not surprisingly, the US Air Force now trains more drone operators than fighter pilots. In fact, its newest aircraft — the F35 — has been called the last manned fighter. As Prof Nick Colosimo of BAE Systems notes, “The world of military and civil aircraft is constantly evolving.” 

— NYT

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N.BHANU KIRAN Sree Narayana Vidya Bhavan

Wow good job

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