U.S. Army Advances 3D-Printed FPV Drone Program with 25th Infantry Division Deployment

Milivox analysis: The U.S. Army has entered a new phase in its additive manufacturing initiative by field-testing lethal first-person-view (FPV) drones with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. This marks a significant milestone in integrating low-cost, rapidly produced unmanned systems into tactical formations—a move shaped by lessons from Ukraine and enabled by public-private partnerships.

Background

The U.S. Department of Defense has been exploring additive manufacturing for over a decade, but recent conflicts—particularly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—have accelerated interest in field-deployable drone production. The proliferation of low-cost FPV drones as loitering munitions and ISR platforms on the Ukrainian frontlines has demonstrated their disruptive potential against armored vehicles and fixed positions.

In response, the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) launched an initiative to rapidly prototype and field-test small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and additive manufacturing techniques. Trideum Corporation was selected as a key integrator under this effort to support the Army’s operational experimentation with such systems.

Technical Overview

The current phase involves deploying a family of modular FPV drones designed for rapid production using industrial-grade 3D printers. These systems are assembled from COTS electronics—including flight controllers and video transmitters—integrated into airframes printed from lightweight polymers or carbon-infused materials.

The drones reportedly support multiple mission payloads:

• Lethal variant: Configured as loitering munitions carrying small explosive charges for anti-personnel or anti-vehicle roles.
• ISR variant: Equipped with stabilized cameras for reconnaissance missions within platoon-level battlespace.
• Training variant: Non-lethal versions used to simulate enemy drone threats during exercises.

The modular design allows for rapid reconfiguration depending on mission requirements or evolving threat profiles. According to Trideum representatives cited by 3DPrint.com, these drones can be produced locally at the unit level using deployable fabrication labs—reducing supply chain dependency and enabling just-in-time manufacturing at the tactical edge.

Operational or Strategic Context

The deployment with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii serves as an operational testbed for integrating these capabilities into real-world training environments. The division’s location provides access to Pacific theater scenarios relevant to Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), where dispersed operations across archipelagic terrain may benefit from autonomous ISR and strike assets.

This effort mirrors Ukraine’s decentralized drone innovation model—where frontline units iterate rapidly on drone designs based on combat feedback. By embedding similar capabilities within U.S. infantry divisions, the Army seeks to shorten its kill chain while increasing lethality against peer adversaries employing electronic warfare or massed armor tactics.

As assessed by Milivox experts, this program represents a bottom-up approach to capability development that contrasts with traditional top-down acquisition cycles often hindered by bureaucracy and cost overruns.

Market or Industry Impact

This initiative underscores growing demand for dual-use technologies that bridge commercial innovation with military utility—a trend increasingly visible across NATO forces adapting to near-peer threats. Companies like Trideum stand to benefit from contracts focused not only on hardware delivery but also on integration services, training support, and digital twin modeling for iterative design refinement.

The use of open-source flight stacks (e.g., ArduPilot or Betaflight), combined with additive manufacturing workflows compatible with DoD cybersecurity standards (e.g., STIG compliance), opens opportunities for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) previously excluded from defense procurement due to scale barriers.

If successful at scale, this model could disrupt legacy sUAS procurement dominated by larger primes offering more expensive turnkey solutions ill-suited for attritable battlefield applications.

Milivox Commentary

This latest deployment signals that the U.S. Army is no longer merely observing trends from Ukraine—it is actively internalizing them through experimentation at echelon. While questions remain about survivability against advanced EW threats or air defenses in contested environments like Taiwan or Eastern Europe, the value proposition of swarming low-cost FPVs is undeniable when paired with robust C2 links and human-machine teaming doctrine.

According to Milivox analysis, future iterations will likely explore AI-assisted target recognition onboard these platforms—especially as compute power becomes more miniaturized—and integrate mesh networking protocols such as ATAK plugins or Link-16 gateways via manned-unmanned teaming nodes.

This program also raises doctrinal questions about logistics: Who maintains these drones? How are explosive payloads certified? What rules of engagement govern their use? Answers will shape not only technology trajectories but also how infantry formations fight in multi-domain operations over the next decade.