Scientists try to use 3D printing technology to 'grow' military drones

According to the BBC's report on July 3, the idea of u200bu200b'growing' military drones sounds more like science fiction films, but British scientists are currently trying to do it. The use of 3D-printed parts in British military aircraft is nothing new. Now, researchers are trying to use the same technology to produce drones. The report pointed out that the military advantage of 'planting' UAVs is self-evident - not only is the production speed fast, but also can be produced in the vicinity of the theater. This approach, which does not require long waits and complex supply chains, naturally provides a huge advantage in defeating enemy forces on the battlefield. The research and development, which takes 3D printing technology to another level, comes from Professor Cronin of the University of Glasgow. He is reportedly working on a 'chemical computer' with the help of the British military-industrial enterprise BAE. In theory, the computer could 'grow' small unmanned aircraft, known as drones, in the lab. Although 3D printers can currently 'print' parts for a machine, 'chemical computers' can speed up chemical reactions at the molecular level. Once this breakthrough is achieved, building an aircraft from scratch would not take months, or even years, but only a few weeks. An animated video demonstrating the new technology looks like a 'clone attack' scene from the movie Star Wars. However, Professor Cronin conceded that building even a tiny plane out of chemicals was 'extremely challenging'. But he noted that if an automatic digital synthesizer could be developed, the device could assemble 'complex objects' 'with little or no human intervention.'