Overview
- The U.S. Navy awarded Continuous Composites a Phase II SBIR to develop its CF3D continuous-fiber 3D printing so electrical conductors can be printed inside UAV structural parts in a 30-month R&D effort with a one-year option for a system-level demonstration.
- During Phase I, the company co-printed copper wiring and fiber-optic elements inside fiberglass-reinforced panels and ran mechanical and electrical tests that showed minimal impact on structural integrity.
- Phase II will concentrate on adding higher-capacity conductive pathways while preserving load-bearing strength and electrical isolation and will validate materials and processes with coupon and sub-scale structure tests.
- The embedded-conductor approach aims to cut traditional wiring and connectors, let crews swap damaged structural modules without disturbing harnesses, and reduce repair time and mission downtime for fielded UAVs.
- The technology still needs repeatable manufacturing control, durability data, independent validation, and aircraft-level certification before it can be used operationally, though the work aligns with Pentagon goals to lower platform complexity and improve maintainability.