The world of miniaturization has given us the possibility of having increasingly smaller and lighter technological elements, even so, there are still engineers who seek to go a little further as is the case of several members of the ModLab Laboratory belonging to the University of Pennsylvania , United States, who have been able to create by 3D printing a drone of only 3,5 centimeters.
This new project undoubtedly demonstrates the enormous capabilities and possibilities that a technology like 3D printing can offer. As the project leaders have announced, this drone, which they have named Picolissimo , has been classified as the smallest drone in the world.
Picolissimo, the smallest drone in the world.
Going into a little more detail, we must not only focus on its size of just 3,5 centimeters, but also on the fact that it weighs only 2,5 grams . To achieve these dimensions, a body had to be designed that could only be manufactured using 3D printing since, as the engineers explain, using traditional techniques would have made it practically impossible to carry out the project due to the high costs.
Inside this small, 3D-printed body, Picolissimo houses a tiny propeller. These two components are designed to rotate in opposite directions at different speeds: the body spins at 40 revolutions per second, while the propeller spins at 800 revolutions per second . Undoubtedly, this is yet another example of what two such innovative technologies can create when designers unleash their creativity.