89. The Flying 3D Printers

The Next Byte Podcast · 27 Sept 2022 · 27m

What this episode covers

Daniel and Forbode discuss research from the Technical University of Munich on using swarms of drones to 3D print concrete structures, inspired by the collective behavior of bees. They analyze the system's use of scanning and printing drones, a novel cementitious resin material, and self-correcting nozzles to achieve millimeter precision. The hosts critique the technology's scalability, highlighting significant challenges with wind stability, battery life, and material weight, while suggesting tethered power or hybrid ground-air robots as potential solutions for maintenance tasks like wind turbine repair.

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