The Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) has developed a technology for manufacturing reinforced propellers for multicopters using 3D printing and fiberglass. The project was implemented by students and graduates of the university as a startup.
The development aims to solve one of the most pressing problems of the Russian drone industry – dependence on imported components. The shortage is particularly acute in the segment of durable propellers for FPV and LTE drones. The average service life of such products today is about 100 hours, while most propellers fail after just three hard landings.
The proposed method for manufacturing the propeller combines 3D printing of the part's base and multi-layer reinforcement of its base with fiberglass. In areas of maximum load, several layers of material with different characteristics are sequentially laid. Inner layers of fine-mesh fabric provide structural rigidity, intermediate layers of coarse-mesh fabric increase impact resistance, and outer layers perform a protective function. The entire structure is fixed with epoxy resin.
The developers have already manufactured the first batch of prototypes and conducted tests that confirmed the effectiveness of the technology. The team is currently refining the project and preparing for the next testing phase.
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