Thanks to Local 3D Printing, Traveler's Photography Drone Back in the Air While Abroad

The Indian government’s flagship Start-Up India initiative, which was launched last January, aims to build a strong ecosystem to nurture and empower innovation and startups across India. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform by Dassault Systèmes played a part in the initiative, and startups that register with the program can enjoy a number of benefits, including public procurement, tax exemptions, guaranteed funding from the National Credit Guarantee Trust Company, and self-certification. One of the initiative’s startups that is recognized by the Indian government’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is online marketplace Morphedo, based in New Delhi.

Morphedo founder Sushil K. Baranwal told 3DPrint.com, “At Morphedo, we are building up a marketplace which would connect 3D Printers and 3D Designers for customers to locally access 3D Printing and Designing services. The beta version of which is live and can be accessed.”

The startup, founded by Baranwal and a friend in 2015, empowers people to use 3D printing technology to co-manufacture their own products. Morphedo connects 3D designers with 3D printers, so customers can locally access these services and utilize all aspects of the technology on a single platform; this goes hand in hand with its vision of making design and manufacturing accessible to everyone. Customers can upload a 3D model to the 3D Printing Marketplace, get an instant quote from its network of 3D printers, and order a 3D print from the maker of their choosing.

3D printed drone parts

The team of engineers at Morphedo also offers consultation services for 3D designing, 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and materials, and provides 3D technology support to everyone, from the least experienced on up – including tourists visiting India.

Baranwal tells us, “We had our first overseas customer from Spain who utilized ‘On Demand Manufacturing’ benefit of 3D Printing to make his photography drone work again.”

Tomás Arribas works remotely, so he is free to travel around the world whenever and wherever he wants, without having to report back to his desk job. Baranwal says that Arribas usually “travels alone in search of adventure and experience.”

Drone with its 3D printed parts

Arribas has a photography drone that he brings with him on his travels, and while touring India, the drone crashed when one of its propellers came out while it was still airborne. He couldn’t get the drone to fly again, and due to the fact that he was traveling, wasn’t able to order the parts that he needed from a website like Amazon or eBay.

“While trying to troubleshoot this problem Tomás understood that he needed locks which he could mount on the propellers to keep them intact during the flight,” Baranwal explained.

“He decided to go for 3D Printing as it enables us with the power of On Demand manufacturing, allowing us to make parts locally without the constraints of minimum volume requirement.”

Arribas worked with Morphedo to fix the problem, and found a suitable design on Thingiverse. Then Morphedo helped him 3D print the propeller locks using biodegradable PLA material, so he not only had a choice in the color, but could also keep the parts lightweight enough to “not hamper the flight of the aerial vehicle.”

Tomás Arribas, from Spain (L); Sushil Baranwal, Founder Morphedo, India

Arribas had a successful test flight for the drone, which stayed aloft thanks its new 3D printed locks, and was on his way, providing a great example to travelers, and other drone users, about the many different and unique ways 3D printing technology can be used all over the world.

“3D Printing has many industrial applications. It is a boon for the Hi-Tech Industries like IoT (Internet of Things), Robotics and Drone manufacturers,” Baranwal said. “With this technology, you and I can easily make replacement of broken or hard to find parts. Had 3D Printing not been accessible to Tomás in India, he would not be able to use his Drone for photography further on the trip as he moves next to Rishikesh. We wish him a happy travelling!”

Discuss in the Morphedo forum at 3DPB.com.