Look: Drones could be the future of 3D-printed architecture

Foundational Imagine construction sites buzzing with robotic crews. by Jennifer Walter Updated: Feb. 20, 2024 Originally Published: Sep. 21, 2022 University College London, Department of Computer Science, London. Dr Vijay M. Pawar & Robert Stuart-Smith, Autonomous Manufacturing Lab

Constructing entire buildings via 3D printing is not a new concept, but the way we do it might get an upgrade.

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How about 3D printing buildings with drones, for example? A recent study takes us one step closer to that reality, thanks to a remotely-operated team of flying construction robots. AerialPerspective Images/Moment/Getty Images

University College London, Department of Computer Science, London. Dr Vijay M. Pawar & Robert Stuart-Smith, Autonomous Manufacturing Lab This week in the journal Nature, researchers describe a drone-powered crew that can build stable structures out of foam and cement-like materials.

The mighty crew includes BuilDrone , a robot that carries a 3D printer and deposits materials layer by layer. Imperial College London, University College London, University of Bath

University College London, Department of Computer Science, London. Dr Vijay M. Pawar & Robert Stuart-Smith, Autonomous Manufacturing Lab Its companion robot, ScanDrone , assesses the accuracy and quality of BuilDrone’s work after it places each layer.

For the study, BuilDrone and ScanDrone produced a 2.05-meter (6.72-foot) tall foam structure to demonstrate their capabilities.

Here’s a time-lapse of the two drones alternating as they build and assess the structure.

Kovac et al. Nature / Imperial College London, University College London, University of Bath

The final product was built within 5 mm of accuracy — the standard for buildings in the U.K. Sarah Lever photography. Autonomous Manufacturing Lab, UCL

Shutterstock Like many robots , these drones were inspired by nature — specifically the nest-building behaviors of potter wasps, barn swallows, and termites.

The researchers hope the drones can eventually build in remote and hard-to-reach places since they can be controlled from a distance.

Imperial College London, University College London, University of Bath

Westend61/Westend61/Getty Images For example, the drones could be used to create shelters after a natural disaster or fix facades on tall buildings.

The recent study serves as a proof of concept, and the researchers will need to continue testing. So it may be some time before they can cement their status as reliable building tools.

Sarah Lever photography. Autonomous Manufacturing Lab, UCL.

“Although these experiments successfully validate the feasibility of [aerial 3D printing], they are just the first steps in exploring the potential of using aerial robots for construction.” Zhang et al., study authors

Kovac et al. Nature / Imperial College London, University College London, University of Bath Limitations such as the materials the drones can print with, how they’ll work in larger teams, and the size of structures they can build will pose future challenges to sort out.

University College London, Department of Computer Science, London. Dr Vijay M. Pawar & Robert Stuart-Smith, Autonomous Manufacturing Lab But if all goes well, we could see a future where robotic crews buzz over construction sites.