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The world's first flying 3D printer

Translate from : Verdens første flyvende 3D-printer

The Ohio-based Flite Test team has achieved the impossible by 3D printing in flight – and the printer survived a 30 mph crash.

Flite Test, a passionate team of RC aircraft enthusiasts, has made history by transforming Elegoo’s Centauri Carbon 3D printer into the world’s first flying 3D printer on an RC aircraft. Mounted on a custom-built RC aircraft, the Centauri Carbon was able to print in flight, with the fuselage itself even being 3D printed on the same machine. The experiment, documented on Flite Test’s YouTube channel (with over 2 million subscribers), demonstrated the printer’s incredible durability – even after a 30 mph crash, it continued to print, with only a few superficial scratches!

The project began when Elegoo sent Flite Test a Centauri Carbon to produce durable parts for RC planes. The team went one step further and challenged the printer to print in flight. The result? A 55-second flight, during which the plane reached an altitude of 30 meters and traveled 365 meters before crashing into a tree. Despite the crash, the Centauri Carbon remained fully functional, proving its robust design, including an integrated die-cast aluminum frame. The plane’s fuselage, designed in the style of a Meglacy RC plane, was 3D printed entirely using Centauri Carbon with carbon fiber rods and ABS brackets. Flite Test plans to continue using the printer for future projects, praising its reliability and performance.

Highlights from the flight:

• Flight altitude: 30 meters
• Flight time: 55 seconds
• Distance covered: 365 meters
• Crash speed: 48 km/h

Stefan Ostergren, Partnership Manager at Flite Test, says:
"The durability of the Centauri Carbon is incredible! We crashed the printer at 48 km/h and it held up great! It continued to print even after the crash, and upon inspection there was only a little dirt and a few scratches on the printer! It was easy to clean and worked flawlessly afterwards! We have not experienced any problems with the printer and have already used it for several projects! Who knows, maybe we will return to this project in the future or try something new… all we know is that we love the Centauri Carbon and plan to use it for many years to come!"

About Flite Test:

Flite Test is a team of six engineers and dreamers from Ohio who are passionate about innovation in RC flight. With nearly 3 million online followers, they combine humor, technology, and education to inspire their audience. Their STEM program gives students hands-on experience with RC aviation projects. Learn more at flitetest.com.