HP Additive Manufacturing (AM) partnered with the Eye Above project to develop an innovative drone designed to monitor wildlife populations in Africa, detect animal traps, and help combat illegal poaching.
Using the HP Jet Fusion 5600 Series 3D printing solution, HP’s Drones team collaborated closely with Eye Above to optimize the UAV design. The resulting airframe features ultra-thin walls structured into internal cells to achieve an ideal strength-to-weight ratio, ultimately producing a drone that outperforms the original concept.
The drone is printed using PA12, a highly durable and tough material. The team also established an optimized manufacturing process for the drone’s components.
Equipped with four propellers, the drone can transition from vertical takeoff and hover to forward flight, allowing operation without a runway and in confined areas. It can cover large areas quickly, supporting rapid and effective responses to poaching activity.
The drones are capable of protecting a range of species, including cranes and rhinos. Initial deployments are planned for national parks in Zambia and South Africa.
