The British Army 3D printed first-person view (FPV) attack drones on the front lines during a recent military exercise.
Major Stephen Watts, Officer Commanding F Company, 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, led a team that built the drones during Exercise Bull Storm in Kenya. The effort tested whether soldiers can successfully fabricate and deploy FPV drones in the field using additive manufacturing technology.
Maj. Watts developed his expertise in small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) during a previous assignment at the Combat Manoeuvre Centre. During Exercise Bull Storm, his team set up a field workshop using a camouflage net and a Land Rover.
They used a Bambu Lab FDM 3D printer, powered by a portable field generator, to produce the FPV drones. Technicians from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) then installed batteries, cameras, and circuit boards to make the drones operational. This workflow saved time and money, cutting individual drone acquisition costs from £2,000 to just £400.
Maj. Watts partnered with the Edinburgh Drone Company, which supplied hardware and trained technicians to 3D print the drone components. In total, his team 3D printed and deployed five drones, along with spare parts, during the exercise.
The drones were based on the company’s Dirk 5 FPV model. After the British troops arrived in Kenya, the Scottish firm emailed them the 3D print files. Within a few hours, the team had 3D printed and assembled the first drones, ready for flight.
In an interview with Soldier Magazine, Maj. Watts said that this was likely the first time the British Army had built drones on the front lines using 3D printing.
“We obtained what’s called special purpose clearance from the Military Aviation Authority to build and fly our self-made drones during this training,” he explained. “It was a big deal because previously they’d only allowed the army to build drones and race them inside the wire, under civilian aviation rules, or fly off-the-shelf platforms if the operators had the right qualifications and permissions.”
British Army 3D prints drones on the front lines
Exercise Bull Storm began in May 2025, and unfolded in the shadow of Mount Kenya at the British Army’s training facility in Nanyuki. It served as a major test of the 11th Brigade’s reconnaissance and strike tactics.
During the training operation, 3 Rifles and reconnaissance specialists from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, acted as the opposing force against personnel from The Royal Regiment of Scotland and the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment.
Approximately 1,400 troops took part in the operation, with both sides utilizing drones, sensors, and surveillance technology. Most artillery and mortar fire missions were replaced with FPV drone attacks, which achieved a “significant” success rate.
Although the five 3D printed drones were not used to impact the outcome of the mock battle, they showcased the benefits of 3D printing FPVs on demand in an operational setting.
Maj. Watts explained that his team 3D printed the bodies of the small quadcopter drones with “incredible detail.” While most commercial, Army-ready FPV drones cost around £2,000 each, the British troops used a Bamb Lab system to produce them for just £400 apiece. “If we build hundreds, the economic argument is very strong,” Maj. Watts added.
His outfit also found that shipping boxes of electronic parts, batteries, and small ordnance separately saves space compared to transporting containers of fully assembled drones. Consequently, 3D printing the FPVs significantly reduced the logistical burden during the exercise.
Speed was another key advantage, with each drone 3D printed and assembled in around four hours each. “If we have this capacity in the British Army and I’m a platoon commander planning a mission, I could print off some bespoke FPVs now and fly them on the same day,” added Maj. Watts.
These efforts underscored the challenges of 3D printing parts in harsh battlefield conditions, especially since the system relied on power from a portable field generator. As such, the operation provided valuable lessons as the British Army expands its adoption of additive manufacturing.
“For example, we found if it was too hot or too cold, the printer didn’t operate well, so we had to learn to manage its temperature carefully, making sure we kept it in the shade during the day,” Major. Watts explained.
Ultimately, the officer believes the FPV drones “proved their worth” during the exercise. Looking ahead to the next operation, he hopes to establish a larger 3D printing facility located just behind the front lines. This site could produce drones continuously throughout the day, allowing them to be regularly supplied to frontline units alongside rations and ammunition.
“By Exercise Bull Storm 26 I’d like to have tens – if not hundreds – of self-built FPVs flying, which will make the formation extremely lethal,” added Major. Watts. “The army’s priority right now is increasing its fighting power, and there can be few more effective ways of achieving that than printing our own attack drones in the field at the point of need.”
3D printed drones: the future of modern warfare?
Drones are rapidly emerging as a key weapon in modern warfare. In the Russia-Ukraine war, both sides actively use inexpensive, remotely controlled FPV drones for precision strikes, surveillance, and supply delivery. Russia has also ramped up long-range attacks, using swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed UAVs to strike targets hundreds of miles from the front lines.
In response, Ukrainian companies are accelerating the production of 3D printed interceptor drones to hunt and destroy loitering munitions before they can strike. One such firm is Wild Hornets, a non-profit that runs a farm of Bambu Lab 3D printers to fabricate high volumes of its Sting interceptor drone. The company can manufacture up to 100 drones per day, including non-interceptor models, to meet the growing demand for FPV drones on the front lines.
Outside Ukraine, San Diego–based Firestorm Labs recently raised $47 million in Series A funding to expand its drone 3D printing technology. This includes the xCell deployable microfactory, which enables operators to produce modular drone airframes and components directly at the point of need.
The funding round was led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and attracted backing from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Decisive Point, Washington Harbour Partners, Booz Allen Ventures. Firestorm has also attracted interest from the U.S. Department of Defense. The U.S. Air Force recently awarded the drone manufacturer $100 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to lead the development and procurement of 3D printed UAV solutions.
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Featured image shows a 3D printed drone, with the British Army’s Bambu Lab 3D printer in the background. Photo via the British Army.
