US Marine Designs Corps’ First NDAA-Compliant 3D-Printed Drone
•February 6, 2026
0
Why It Matters
NDAA‑compliant 3D‑printed drones reduce reliance on foreign‑sourced parts and lower acquisition costs, enhancing operational security and flexibility for the Marine Corps.
Key Takeaways
- •HANX is first NDAA‑compliant 3D‑printed Marine drone
- •Designed by Sgt. Volpe using 3D printing at Innovation Campus
- •Low‑cost, modular design allows mission‑specific modifications
- •Approved by NAVAIR, meets current NDAA security standards
- •Marine Corps plans in‑house production and training curriculum
Pulse Analysis
Additive manufacturing has moved from experimental labs to the front lines of defense, driven by the need for rapid, low‑cost solutions that meet strict security standards. The NDAA prohibits the use of unapproved foreign components, a rule that historically limited 3D‑printed drone projects. HANX demonstrates how the Marine Corps can bypass these constraints by producing every part domestically, ensuring supply‑chain integrity while leveraging the speed of digital fabrication. This shift not only safeguards sensitive technology but also accelerates the fielding of new capabilities.
HANX’s design philosophy centers on simplicity and adaptability. Using off‑the‑shelf electronics housed in 3D‑printed airframes, Marines can assemble the drone in minutes without specialized tooling. Its modular architecture permits quick swaps of payloads—ranging from cameras to small munitions—giving units the flexibility to repurpose a single platform for diverse missions. By sidestepping traditional contractor‑built systems, the Corps can avoid costly lock‑in contracts and retain the ability to iterate designs based on operational feedback, a critical advantage in fast‑moving combat environments.
The broader implications extend beyond a single UAV. The Marine Innovation Campus’s plan for in‑house production and curriculum development signals a strategic pivot toward self‑sufficiency in unmanned systems. As other services observe the cost savings and security benefits, we may see a wave of similar initiatives, reshaping the defense acquisition landscape. However, scaling additive manufacturing will require robust quality‑control processes and sustained investment in training, ensuring that rapid production does not compromise reliability. If managed well, this model could set a new standard for agile, secure, and affordable military technology.
US Marine designs Corps’ first NDAA-compliant 3D-printed drone
The U.S. Marine Corps has pioneered a 3D-printed first-person view drone that is easy to assemble, ready for field use and conforms to national security standards.
Sgt. Henry David Volpe, an automotive technician with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, used his interest in engineering and robotics to help develop HANX, the Marine Corps’ first unmanned aircraft system built from 3D-printed parts to be approved by the National Defense Authorization Act, service officials announced last month.
Fortunately, for both the Marines and for Volpe, he found an outlet for his passion for robotics when he was assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
“I immediately went over to the innovation campus, shook hands with the master sergeant, and said, ‘I want to work over here, I’ve got experience with this,’” Volpe said, according to a Jan. 28 release.
The result was HANX, which derives its name from Volpe’s nickname “Hank.” The drone, approved for use by U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, features a simple and low-cost design that is easy for Marines to assemble using 3D-printing technology.
Further, HANX is NDAA compliant, meaning it’s not assembled from unapproved parts from foreign manufacturers that could contain security vulnerabilities. Previous Marine drones assembled using 3D printing were not subject to the same NDAA security requirements that exist today. The HANX drone is the first of its type to be approved by both NAVAIR and meet current NDAA requirements.
As an FPV drone, HANX can be modified for use as a flying explosive, reconnaissance tool or logistics delivery node.
“The drone is cheap and easy to change, making it easier to be utilized for a variety of missions throughout the military, compared to all of the drones bought through contractors where we aren’t allowed to modify them,” Volpe said.
Building HANX entailed over a thousand hours in the innovation lab and navigating government bureaucracy for approval, but the result is a drone that is secure, field-ready and designed by Marines for Marines, according to the release.
“This was only possible because of the collaboration with the team around me,” Volpe said. “I’d give out different drone parts and say, ‘Hey, can you redesign this for me?’ Or ‘I need 20 of these printed.’ I designed it, but I didn’t work on it alone.”
The Marine Innovation Campus has since developed a plan for in-house production of HANX, plus the framework for field training and curriculum.
0
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...