The Russia-Ukraine war is driving demand for 3D printed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
On the eastern front, both sides deploy low-cost, remotely controlled first-person view (FPV) drones to carry out precision strikes, conduct aerial surveillance, and deliver supplies.
Meanwhile, Moscow has intensified long-range attacks, sending swarms of propeller-powered, fixed-wing UAVs deep into Ukraine. Its Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drones, known as Geran-2 in Russia, are increasingly being used against targets hundreds of miles from the front lines.
Russia reportedly manufactured more than 6,000 Shahed-style drones last year. In June 2025, over 5,000 Shahed-type drones were deployed against Ukraine. On July 8, Russia launched a barrage of over 700 drones, a record high for a single day.
In response, Ukraine is accelerating the production of interceptor drones. Operators use these devices to hunt and destroy Shahed-style loitering munitions before they can strike. In a recent interview with Babel, Arsen Zhumadilov, Director of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency, revealed that Kyiv is targeting “mass production,” having contracted “tens of thousands” of anti-Shahed drones.
Additive manufacturing is playing a crucial role in meeting rising demand. Ukrainian drone manufacturer Wild Hornets, for example, operates an expanding 3D print farm to produce its Sting interceptor drones.
The Ukrainian non-profit has shared images and videos on social media showing rows of Elegoo and Bambu Lab FDM 3D printers fabricating plastic drone components. These help to minimize costs, accelerate design cycles, and decentralize production.
Importantly, Wild Hornets offers a cost-effective alternative to U.S.-supplied Patriot Missiles, which cost about $3.3 million each. In contrast, Ukrainian-made interceptors reportedly cost between $1,000 and $5,000 to produce, while Russia’s Shahed drones are estimated at $35,000 apiece.
Ukraine accelerates 3D printed drone production
Wild Hornets is a volunteer-led organization financed through donations and crowdfunding initiatives. Since launching in spring 2023, it has rapidly become a key supplier of Ukrainian-made UAVs, producing around 100 drones per day. Its portfolio includes lightweight 10-inch FPV quadcopters for ground operations, “Queen Hornet” heavy bombers, and the high-speed “Sting” anti-air drone.
The latter features a unique, aerodynamic, bullet-shaped quadcopter design. It can reportedly reach speeds over 160 km/h (100 mph) and altitudes up to 3,000 meters (10,000 feet).
Wild Hornets began developing the Sting in October 2024. Armed with a warhead and a thermal camera, the drone is piloted through virtual reality (VR) goggles. Operators employ dogfight-style tactics to intercept and destroy Shahed-type UAVs midair.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly praised the work of companies like Wild Hornets in a Facebook post. He stated that “Interceptor drones are performing particularly well, with hundreds of Russian-Iranian “Shaheds” shot down over the past week.” Wild Hornets claims its drones have “neutralized 1,738 enemy assets worth $1.69 billion,” including 448 enemy UAVs.
Wild Hornets sources about 65% of its drone components locally in Ukraine. According to posts on the group’s X account, Wild Hornets is expanding its fleet of FDM 3D printers to boost production and rapidly adapt designs to meet shifting battlefield demands.
A post from July 2 shows shelves lined with Bambu Lab 3D printers and rows of drone components, captioned: “There’s no rest at our drone production — only work, because every drone matters.” A separate video from June showcased close-up shots of the 3D printing process, revealing a “sneak peek into our nonstop production of Wild Hornets.”
The non-profit manufactures batteries in-house, using original cells from Samsung and Westinghouse. Additionally, it builds its own flight controllers, using at least one industrial pick and place machine to mount critical drone control systems onto printed circuit boards.
Another Ukrainian company ramping up drone production is TAF Drones. It operates a secret production site in Western Ukraine, where over 100 employees produce around 1,000 drones daily using manufacturing technologies that include 3D printers. However, the company does not build interceptor drones, but lightweight kamikaze drones optimized for frontline strike missions.
German start-up Tytan Technologies also uses 3D printing to produce AI-controlled drones for the Ukrainian military. It developed the Tytan Interceptor specifically to counter Shahed-136 UAVs (known as Geran-2 in Russia).
This UAV features a 3D printed body, allowing the company to maintain low costs and adapt to changing operational needs. According to Tytan, the Interceptor can reach speeds of over 250 km/h, carry payloads up to 1 kg, and operate within a range exceeding 15 km.
3D printed drones: the future of warfare?
Away from Ukraine, 3D printed drones are attracting growing attention across the global defense landscape. San Diego-based Firestorm Labs recently raised $47 million in a Series A funding round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Investment also came from key defense backers, including Lockheed Martin Ventures, Decisive Point, Washington Harbour Partners, Booz Allen Ventures.
The new capital will be used to scale the company’s 3D printed drones, as well as its deployable additive manufacturing unit, xCell. This micro-factory can be deployed in two 20-ft containers or a single 40-ft container. It allows users to 3D print modular drone airframes and components directly at the point of need.
Firestorm’s technology has attracted the attention of the U.S. Department of Defense. Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force awarded the company a five-year, $100 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The agreement will see Firestorm lead the development and procurement of 3D printed UAV solutions that prioritize modular, cost-effective designs.
Elsewhere, Alabama-based aerospace and defense manufacturer Cummings Aerospace’s 3D printed loitering munition, Hellhound S3, completed its first test flight earlier this year. The S3 is a turbojet-powered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that can travel at speeds up to 384 mph. It is designed to conduct long-range precision strikes against armored vehicles, tanks, and fortified positions
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Featured image shows Wild Hornets’ 3D printed Sting drones. Photo via Wild Hornets.
