Abstract
Aerial additive manufacturing (AAM) represents a novel approach to construction by enabling untethered autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) to deposit cementitious materials in mid-flight, overcoming geometric and accessibility limitations associated with ground-based additive manufacturing. This study presents research to investigate the structural viability of cementitious mixes tailored for aerial extrusion, focusing on rheological optimisation, mechanical performance, and deposition feasibility. Pseudoplastic behaviour was achieved through the use of hydrocolloids, enabling low viscosity under shear for extrusion while rapidly stiffening post-deposition to maintain layer geometry. Fibre reinforcement and inorganic fullerene tungsten disulphide (IF-WS₂) nanoparticles were incorporated to enhance flexural strength, interlayer cohesion, and impact resistance. Laboratory trials using a miniaturised UAV-mounted extrusion system demonstrated successful deposition of multiple layers with positional accuracy within ±10 mm. Results indicate that carefully balanced mix compositions allow structural layering, yielding compressive strengths above 25 MPa and improved toughness. The study highlights the potential of AAM for applications in confined, elevated, or hard-to-access environments, while emphasising current limitations including UAV payload, flight stability, and extrusion synchronisation. Overall, this work provides proof-of-concept evidence that autonomous aerial deposition of cementitious materials is feasible, opening avenues for future research into multi-agent cooperative building, material optimisation, and automated construction in challenging conditions.
Keywords
aerial additive manufacturing, rheology, UAV.
DOI
10.5703/1288284318130
Recommended Citation
Ball, Richard James; Dams, Barrie; Shepherd, Paul; and Chen, Binling, "Exploring Aerial Additive Manufacturing with Cementitious Materials using Autonomous Drones" (2025). International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures. 11.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/icdcs/2025/act/11
Exploring Aerial Additive Manufacturing with Cementitious Materials using Autonomous Drones
Aerial additive manufacturing (AAM) represents a novel approach to construction by enabling untethered autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) to deposit cementitious materials in mid-flight, overcoming geometric and accessibility limitations associated with ground-based additive manufacturing. This study presents research to investigate the structural viability of cementitious mixes tailored for aerial extrusion, focusing on rheological optimisation, mechanical performance, and deposition feasibility. Pseudoplastic behaviour was achieved through the use of hydrocolloids, enabling low viscosity under shear for extrusion while rapidly stiffening post-deposition to maintain layer geometry. Fibre reinforcement and inorganic fullerene tungsten disulphide (IF-WS₂) nanoparticles were incorporated to enhance flexural strength, interlayer cohesion, and impact resistance. Laboratory trials using a miniaturised UAV-mounted extrusion system demonstrated successful deposition of multiple layers with positional accuracy within ±10 mm. Results indicate that carefully balanced mix compositions allow structural layering, yielding compressive strengths above 25 MPa and improved toughness. The study highlights the potential of AAM for applications in confined, elevated, or hard-to-access environments, while emphasising current limitations including UAV payload, flight stability, and extrusion synchronisation. Overall, this work provides proof-of-concept evidence that autonomous aerial deposition of cementitious materials is feasible, opening avenues for future research into multi-agent cooperative building, material optimisation, and automated construction in challenging conditions.
