US Army flew a drone with a 3D-printed engine

The U.S. Army completed the first successful flight of its VICTOR drone, which uses a hybrid propulsion system built around a heavy-fuel rotary engine produced via 3D metal printing. The milestone is intended to extend the range and payload capacity of tactical drones. The service has not disclosed flight duration, altitude or engine performance figures. The test signals the Army's push to validate additive manufacturing for propulsion components, which could ease supply chains and speed up field repairs. Watch for follow-on flight testing and any transition toward program-of-record decisions or production contracts with industry partners.