Swarms of drones will now build buildings like bees  

The future is here

A fleet of flying 3D printers will now be able to build and repair buildings, using methods similar to those of bees. The autonomous drones were developed by the University of Bath and will be able to construct buildings in difficult or even dangerous areas, helping to restore infrastructure in areas hit by a natural disaster.

3D printing has gained significant ground in the construction sector. The drones in the fleet are collectively called Aerial Additive Manufacturing (Aerial-AM) and work together based on a single blueprint, adapting their techniques as construction progresses.

Although the flight is fully autonomous, there is also a human monitoring the progress and can intervene if necessary. Lab tests so far have proven that the drones work independently and together can construct and repair buildings, while testing four different cement mixes.

The drones evaluated the printed geometry throughout construction in real time and adjusted their behavior to meet the building’s specifications. The accuracy reached 5 millimeters, an acceptable level to ensure the mechanical strength of the building during construction.

The next step is to work with manufacturing companies to prove the value of drones. Scientists believe that the swarm of drones will significantly reduce the cost and risk of construction in the future, compared to traditional manual methods.

The research was published in Nature .