What does it take to build a drone? That’s what one design studies class at John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London, Ontario, Canada, wondered after trying to purchase a drone for a school research project. The drones on the market were too expensive for the students to buy, and so were the replacement parts if and when they would need them.
That’s when Mike Santolupo, the department head of Technological Studies and Design, realized this was a perfect opportunity for the students to hone their design thinking and problem solving skills. Using the school’s Stratasys FDM 3D printer and engineering grade ABS materials, the class created detailed modular design and build plans for the drone, constructed parts that were light enough to fly and strong enough to land, and could be easily replaced in the event of a crash or other malfunction. At first the students underestimated how challenging it would be to create each piece to withstand the impact of landing, but they quickly realized that 3D printing offered a unique solution. With a Stratasys FDM printer onsite, the team could 3D print replacement parts after test flights.
3D printing helped the students overcome any supply chain issues they may have encountered, made possible by how quickly the school’s 3D printer could build new parts. Without it, the students realized they would have had to wait for parts to ship from a traditional retail supplier, delaying the final deadline of the project. They also learned 3D printing allows for easy customization, while many retailers charge premiums for any custom design elements the team may have wanted to add.
Navigating the design process of creating and testing the drone using 3D printing not only boosted student engagement, it taught them how to solve design problems through persistence and multiple iterations. Collaborative, hands-on projects like this one let students actively explore, respond to and engage with real-world challenges — experience and knowledge they’ll be able to draw upon and apply to projects later on.
The final version of the students’ drone was very strong and light, but also amazingly accurate and easy to fly. Plus, with 3D printing they could use multiple colors in the design, letting students customize the drone in a way that suited their learning and aesthetic tastes, giving them the exact solution they wanted and could take pride in.