World First: UK Flies a Structural Component 3D Printed from Recycled Titanium

Update — February 27, 2026

Further details have emerged about QinetiQ's recycled titanium 3D printing milestone. The flight test was conducted at MOD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire using a QinetiQ-owned A109S helicopter being developed for the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS). The 3D-printed hinge serves as a critical attachment point for an Air Data Boom — a high-precision external probe used to measure airspeed and angle of attack.

AMS Ltd.'s proprietary atomization process achieves 97% material efficiency, minimizing waste. The company reports that their manufacturing process uses 93.5% less CO2e compared to traditional titanium supply chains. If all titanium held in scrap UK aircraft was extracted for recycling, the UK could become self-sufficient in aerospace-grade titanium — currently heavily dependent on imports from China and Russia.

Original Story

A UK defence technology firm has achieved what it calls a world first: flying a helicopter with a structural component 3D printed from recycled titanium.

QinetiQ, working with metal additive manufacturing company Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd (AMS Ltd.), completed the milestone flight at MOD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. The aircraft was QinetiQ's own Agusta A109S helicopter, being developed for use by ETPS — the Empire Test Pilots' School.

What Was Actually Flown?

The 3D printed component was a hinge forming part of an Air Data Boom assembly. It's not a decorative part or a test bracket — it's a real structural component on a real aircraft in flight. QinetiQ designed and integrated the hinge; AMS Ltd. manufactured it using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF).

Here's the part that makes this genuinely significant: the titanium used wasn't freshly mined. AMS recovered it from a decommissioned aircraft, processed the scrap into aerospace-grade powder using their proprietary recycling method, and printed the component from that recovered material.

The Recycling Numbers

AMS Ltd. reports their process:

• Achieves 97% material efficiency — minimal waste
• Uses 93.5% less CO2e compared to traditional titanium supply chains
• Uses 98% recycled titanium

For context, titanium is expensive, hard to source, and strategically sensitive. China and Russia are the world's largest suppliers of aerospace-grade titanium. The UK — like most Western nations — imports heavily.

AMS Ltd. estimates that if all titanium held in scrap UK aircraft was extracted and recycled, the country could become self-sufficient. That's a bold claim, but the technology to do it just proved it can literally fly.

Why This Matters Beyond Aerospace

For most 3D printing enthusiasts, flying helicopter hinges isn't a daily concern. But this milestone matters for the broader maker and engineering community for a few reasons:

1. It validates metal AM at the highest level. When a structural aircraft component gets certified and flown, it removes doubt about whether metal 3D printing can meet real-world safety requirements. Every aviation success makes the case for using AM in demanding applications.

2. Recycled feedstocks for metal printing are coming. AMS's process shows that scrap metal — not just virgin powder — can meet aerospace quality standards. This has long-term implications for desktop metal printing too, where feedstock cost is a significant barrier.

3. The sustainability story is real. A 93.5% reduction in CO2e versus traditional supply chains isn't greenwashing — it's a material process change. If this scales, it changes the economics of metal AM significantly.

What QinetiQ and AMS Said

"Our testing and engineering expertise is helping to prove the technology which will reduce the UK's dependency on other nations for aerospace grade titanium. Not only are we helping to strengthen UK supply chains, we are also leading the rest of the world in the very latest 3D printing technology."

— Simon Galt, Managing Director Air, QinetiQ

"AMS has tirelessly built momentum and expertise within the additive powder market, with a sharp focus on providing recycled feedstocks. This milestone reflects the dedication of our team and QinetiQ's commitment to a more resilient and sustainable future."

— Rob Higham, Director & CEO, AMS Ltd.

The Bigger Picture

This flight sits alongside a cluster of aerospace AM milestones happening in early 2026. Alloyed recently secured £1 million to develop recycled nickel superalloys for jet engines. Divergent and Mach delivered a flight-ready hypersonic prototype in 71 days using AM. The trend is clear: additive manufacturing is no longer proving itself — it's delivering.

For the UK specifically, this represents a genuine strategic advantage. Reducing dependency on titanium imports while creating a circular manufacturing loop from retired aircraft to new certified parts is exactly the kind of industrial capability that changes supply chain security at a national level.