The British Army has successfully deployed 3D printers to manufacture First-Person View (FPV) attack drones in an austere field environment. During Exercise Haraka Storm in Kenya, soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, The Rifles (3 RIFLES), utilised commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) printers to fabricate airframes on-site, subsequently assembling them with electronic components for simulated strike missions.
The experiment, funded by the Commander Field Army’s Innovation Fund, aimed to validate the concept of “manufacturing at the point of need.” It represents a departure from traditional procurement models, drawing direct lessons from the rapid, decentralised drone production observed in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The trial utilised printers developed by Shenzhen-based Bambu Labs. These portable units were established under camouflaged canopies and powered by small field generators. The choice of COTS hardware highlights a growing trend in defence: leveraging the speed and cost-effectiveness of consumer electronics over bespoke military-grade systems, despite the associated security trade-offs.
According to Major Steve Watts, Officer Commanding F Company, 3 RIFLES, the team collaborated with the Edinburgh Drone Company to source the hardware and training. The printers used a specialised filament to produce the “Dirk 5” airframe design.
“We loaded the printing programme into the 3D printer, and a few hours later, the first FPV drones were ready to fly,” Watts noted. The production time for a single airframe was approximately 3.5 hours, with an additional hour required for technicians to install cameras, flight controllers, batteries, and motors.
Operational Capabilities and Trade-offs
The drones produced during the exercise demonstrated lethal performance metrics relevant to peer-level conflict. With Speed up to 190 mph, endurance of approximately 3.5 minutes at combat speeds, range: Theoretically up to 15 miles, though operational range is limited by battery life and RF link stability.
The economic argument for field printing is compelling. Major Watts indicated that while a military-standard off-the-shelf FPV drone might cost roughly £2,000 ($2,630), the field-assembled variants were produced for approximately £400 ($525) per unit. This cost reduction is critical for systems designed to be expended in high volumes against armour or fortified positions.
However, the trial exposed the vulnerabilities of high-tech manufacturing in expeditionary conditions. The printers, designed for controlled workshop environments, suffered malfunctions due to the extreme thermal fluctuations of the Kenyan operational theatre.
“We found if it was too hot or too cold, the printer didn’t operate wel,l so we had to learn to manage its temperature carefully,” Watts explained. This necessitates a new logistical consideration: environmental control for manufacturing equipment at the tactical edge.
Tactical Integration and Future Logistics
The exercise involved approximately 1,400 soldiers, with 3 RIFLES and reconnaissance specialists from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, acting as the opposing force (OPFOR) against the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Anglian Regiment.
The use of Tes simulation technology allowed the FPVs to replace traditional artillery and mortar fire in the wargame, tracking virtual “kills” to validate lethality. The success of the trial suggests a future logistical footprint where munitions are not shipped whole but assembled from raw materials and component kits.
“Shipping out boxes of electronic parts, batteries and small ordnance saves on space compared to containers full of assembled drones,” Watts said. He envisions a future where echelon support units utilize trucks equipped with printer farms, “spitting out drones all day and night” to be sent forward with rations and ammunition.
Security Implications of Chinese Hardware
The use of Bambu Labs printers raises inevitable questions regarding supply chain security. As a Shenzhen-based company, Bambu Labs operates within the regulatory framework of the People’s Republic of China. While the printers themselves are manufacturing tools rather than networked ISR assets, the potential for data exfiltration regarding print schematics or deployment locations remains a topic of debate among defence analysts.
However, the British Army’s approach here appears to prioritise immediate capability and innovation velocity over rigid supply chain purity for non-sensitive, expendable hardware. The focus was on the process of manufacturing, rather than the permanent adoption of a specific printer brand for classified operations.
AI-Enabled Autonomy
Simultaneously, Exercise Haraka Storm tested advanced software capabilities through the Altra ISR and HX-2 “recce-strike” systems developed by Helsing, a European AI defence company. Unlike the fabrication trial, this focus was on software and autonomy.
These trials validated the ability of non-specialist infantry to operate AI-enabled drones after minimal training. The Helsing systems are designed to reduce the cognitive load on operators, using AI to assist in target identification and flight stability in complex environments—capabilities that are essential when operating cheap, expendable drones like those printed by 3 RIFLES.
The Path to “Bull Storm 26”
The Kenya trials serve as a proof of concept for a much larger integration of organic air power. Major Watts aims to scale the capability significantly by Exercise Bull Storm 26, projecting a force structure where tens or hundreds of self-built FPVs are available to commanders.
If successful, this model could fundamentally alter the British Army’s lethality, moving from a reliance on scarce, expensive precision-guided munitions to a model of mass, disposable, and adaptable aerial effectors.