Machina receives $9 million for containerized production of LUCAS airframes — The War Zone
In the United States, robotics company Machina has received a $9 million contract to create a containerized system for the robotic production of LUCAS drone airframes. Under the 18-month agreement, the company must demonstrate that its RoboCraftsman complex can manufacture such airframes at deployed locations, The War Zone reports.
Two container factories
Machina initially plans to place so-called Edge Factories at two locations in the continental United States. The system is later intended to be adapted for deployment abroad, including in Kuwait. Each Edge Factory will consist of one or two RoboCraftsman production cells. The RoboCraftsman system is assembled and transported in two standard ISO 668 containers.
The installed complex, measuring 20 by 36 feet and weighing 120,000 pounds, has two robotic arms. They form a metal airframe according to specified parameters, including payload and flight range. According to Machina founder and CEO Ed Mehr, the company chose metal instead of composites because of its availability, lower cost, and the possibility of automating processing.
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Timeframe and cost
Under the current contract, one production cell can manufacture one LUCAS airframe in two to five days, depending on its size, Mehr said. A separate contract would be needed for large-scale production with ten or more cells. He estimated the cost of a 12-foot airframe at $15,000–$40,000, depending on the complexity of the design.
Machina has already produced a six-foot half-scale LUCAS model, which was tested at Edwards Air Force Base in California. During the initial tests, there were issues with stability in crosswinds, so the company changed the engine placement. According to Mehr, developing the next version of the design may take up to three months.
LUCAS stands for Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System. The War Zone notes that the Pentagon is developing the concept of mobile production of drones and components in order to reduce dependence on traditional supply chains.
