In our quest to design a sub-4 kg UAV with over 3 hours of endurance, we quickly realized the need to print with just one wall of thickness and 3 % infill. This requirement renders most consumer filaments obsolete — LW-PLA deforms, LW-ASA breaks, nylons are heavy, ABS warps, and so on. Real-world mapping missions demand a spectacular strength-to-weight ratio from a ductile material with high heat resistance, good UV stability, and negligible water absorption.

Nomadium Robotics selected Tectonic 3D’s KRATIR PP-CF for the TerraHawk — a fixed-wing VTOL capable of mapping up to 10 km² per flight in most weather conditions. In addition, our click-fit system enables us to 3D-print a complete airframe in just 90 minutes (using multiple printers) and assemble it in 10 minutes, making VTOL technology accessible to SMEs across Europe (https://www.nomadiumrobotics.com/)

"Tectonic 3D’s KRATIR PP-CF completely redefined what’s possible in lightweight UAV manufacturing. It’s the first filament that allowed us to print ultra-thin, single-wall structures with the strength and thermal resilience needed for real-world performance — and the surface finish is perfect straight off the printer."

George Petrov
Founder at Nomadium Robotics