Continuous Composites Wins Navy SBIR for 3D Printed UAVs

Continuous Composites has spent years defending its continuous fiber 3D printing patents in court. Now the company is heading back to the same customer base with a different pitch: instead of just printing structure, it will print function directly into the part.

The Defense Department agrees. Continuous Composites won a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Navy to build unmanned aerial vehicle structures with embedded sensors, wiring alternatives, and electronics inside the composite material itself.

This is not the company's first government award. Continuous Composites has already collected four Phase I and four Phase II SBIR awards totaling $6.4 million, including work for the Air Force, NASA, and previous Navy contracts on submarine shafts and sensor-embedded structures. The new award builds on that track record but shifts the focus toward multifunctional load-bearing components.

Why Wiring Matters in Drones

Every gram of wire in a drone is dead weight. Modern aircraft already cut wiring mass with fiber optics and solid-state power controllers, but most UAVs still rely on bundles of copper running through plastic or composite frames. Continuous Composites wants to replace some of that with conductive traces embedded during the print.

The company's previous tests showed it could print copper and fiber optics inside composite parts without ruining mechanical strength. The Navy program goes further: it will test higher-capacity conductive pathways inside load-bearing walls while keeping electrical isolation and structural performance intact.

A Lego-Style Drone

Continuous Composites CEO Steve Starner said the goal is to enable "load-bearing components that also serve as integrated power distribution systems." If the approach works, a UAV could swap major sections in seconds without rewiring. Pull out the middle panel, drop in a new battery or payload bay, and the plane is ready to fly again.

The 30-month program will validate materials and processes at coupon and sub-scale levels. A one-year option period could follow with a functional system-level demonstration, moving the technology closer to operational use.