Do 3D printers fly? Apparently, they do.
We usually don’t publish stories about stunts involving 3D printers, but this one is so incredibly outrageous that it must be told.
Elegoo supplied one of their new Centauri Carbon devices to FliteTest, a YouTube channel dedicated to ”educate, entertain, and elevate those who have an interest in flight.” Basically, they build and fly amazing RC aircraft, some of which are quite large.
Their goal on this project was to build an RC aircraft that could fly the 3D printer aloft — while it continued printing. This is clearly not something anyone would ever need to do, but here we are.
The experienced FliteTest team was able to quickly design a lightweight airframe capable of carrying the Centauri Carbon. The key issue was the weight of the batteries required to power the 3D printer while flying, which are in addition to the batteries for the aircraft’s own motors.
The skimpy aircraft was built, and as you might imagine, it wasn’t small. Here you see the aircraft on the runway, ready for takeoff. The printer was set to print an airplane 3D model, of course, and would continue until the flight ended.
The flight began normally, although it seems there were some power and control issues. At the top, you can see the aircraft in flight — and the 3D printer operating live in the sidebar window.
It actually worked!
The flight continued for around 55 seconds, when it had an unfortunate encounter with a tree trunk. The remains of the aircraft were scattered nearby.
Unbelievable, the 3D printer continued to operate, even after the crash. The video shows the motion system operating, as the batteries were still connected and the Centauri was more robust than anyone realized.
The print didn’t really survive, however. The shock of impact tossed the build plate aside, and the stepper motors were pushed to the side. But you can see that the printed airplane was still operating after the impact, at least for a time.
What did we learn from this unusual experiment, aside from some momentary entertainment at the awesome flight?
The Centauri Carbon is a pretty robust machine — but your problem won’t be putting your device through this type of scenario. It’s good to know that it could survive, regardless.
