Troops from the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade are building and deploying 3D printed first-person-view (FPV) drones to gain a tactical edge on the battlefield.
At the center of this initiative is Hawkeye Platoon, a unit within the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment.
Specialising in reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), these soldiers recently deployed a mobile lab to 3D print drone components during Agile Spirit 25, a multinational training exercise held in Georgia. They assembled and maintained quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on-site, combining printed parts with off-the-shelf components to meet operational demands.
Brigade-level funding supports Hawkeye Platoon’s drone operations, including the purchase of C100 drones. Soldiers 3D print many of the other FPVs in the fleet and design custom payloads to meet specific battlefield needs. This shift to front-line production came after the U.S. Army retired its RQ-7B Shadow drones in March 2024.
The field-based manufacturing approach significantly reduces both cost and production time. According to a recent Department of Defense (DoD) press release, soldiers can build a drone in just a few hours for $400 to $500 each.
That price is significantly lower than many other attack drones in the DoD’s arsenal. For example, the U.S. military’s FY 2026 missile procurement budget includes 294 Switchblade 600 LASSO loitering munitions, each costing $170,000. The same document also indicates that smaller-scale FPVs are being acquired for $5,000 apiece, according to a Forbes report.
U.S. forces are confident that scaling and fielding low-cost FPV manufacturing technology will enhance combat effectiveness across operational scenarios.
Army Staff Sgt. Andy Ortiz, a drone pilot with Hawkeye Platoon, argued that 3D printed UAVs can increase lethality by “speed[ing] up the kill chain.” He emphasized that the platoon’s drones are “super cheap to build” and easy to repair.
Ortiz envisions an expanded role for these 3D printed devices on the battlefield, advocating that infantry platoons be “stacked with FPV drones.” He argued that the low-cost systems could fundamentally shift combat tactics. “Instead of calling for fire support, someone in your platoon could take out the target with a drone carrying C4,” he explained.
3D printing drones on the front lines
Drones have become indispensable on the modern battlefield, a reality laid bare by the war in Ukraine. On the battlefields of Eastern Europe, both sides rely on small, inexpensive FPVs to hit targets, watch enemy movements, and deliver supplies.
The Department of Defense has acknowledged the growing tactical significance of drones. In a June 2025 memorandum, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called them “the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation.” He instructed the military to scale production and integrate drone technology into training pipelines.
Hegseth has also ordered the U.S. Army to broaden its use of additive manufacturing, reflecting a $3.3 billion request in the Pentagon’s 2026 budget for projects that harness 3D printing technology. Hawkeye Platoon is leading in both of these efforts, incorporating 3D printing technology and drone capabilities into its training.
Army Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Daniels, a platoon sergeant with the 173rd, explained that the unit’s training model is built for scalability. Commercial drone makers begin the process by training selected soldiers under a train-the-trainer approach. Certified noncommissioned officers, like those in Hawkeye Platoon, then pass on that knowledge, teaching others to build and operate drones across the brigade
The platoon’s drone arsenal includes four large C100 quadcopters, along with smaller, low-cost FPVs that soldiers can build in their deployable production lab. The C100 is a heavy-lift quadcopter drone manufactured by Huntsville-based Performance Drone Works (PDW).
According to Daniels, C100s are adept at autonomously carrying and dropping supplies to front-line units and aid stations. “If the mission is beyond 2 or 3 kilometers, we can upload the mission, and the drone will complete it autonomously and return,” he explained.
These drones have a range of up to 10 kilometers and can stay aloft for 74 minutes, allowing operators to conduct beyond-line-of-sight missions in mountainous or contested terrain. By contrast, the platoon’s 3D printed FPVs are faster and cheaper to produce but require a direct line of sight. As a result, they are best suited for short-range strikes and close-in reconnaissance missions.
Hawkeye Platoon showcased its combat drone capabilities during Agile Spirit 25 held in the Eastern European nation of Georgia. Led by U.S., European, and African forces, the training exercise provided a live operational environment for testing emerging battlefield technologies and validating mission sets.
The rise of 3D printed drones
Drones have changes the face of battle in Ukraine. While small FPVs strike targets on the front lines, Russia has escalated its long-range drone campaign using Iranian-designed Shahed UAVs. Swarms of these drones hit sites hundreds of miles from the battlefields. Moscow deployed more than 6,000 Shahed-style drones last year, and launched 5,000 in June 2025 alone.
To counter this growing threat, Ukrainian companies are increasing production of 3D printed interceptor drones, which can hunt and destroy UAVs before they strike. Wild Hornets is leading these efforts. The Ukrainian non-profit runs a 24-hour production line of Bambu Lab 3D printers to fabricate high volumes of its Sting interceptor drones. The firm can reportedly produce up to 100 drones per day to meet growing battlefield demands.
Elsewhere, the British Army recently trialed the production of 3D printed FPV drones on the front lines during Exercise Bull Storm in Kenya. Troops from F Company, 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Regiment used a Bambu Lab 3D printer powered by a field generator to produce five drones.
This approach was found to save time and money, cutting drone acquisition costs from £2,000 to £400. It reflects the British military’s growing adoption of FPVs. During Bull Storm, drone attacks were used to replace most artillery and mortar fire missions, achieving a “significant” success rate.
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Featured image shows Army Sgt. Tucker Smith soldered internal wiring on a 3D printed FPV drone. Photo via Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Conley.
