Underwater drones – dichtol AM Hydro successfully protects internal electronics in practical testing

As part of the SWARM project, underwater drones were developed that communicate with each other and can therefore be used autonomously for a wide range of applications. The drone swarms can then independently inspect offshore wind turbines and submarine cables, clean ship hulls or carry out other work in harbour basins, and be used to search for and rescue people and animals. To enable rapid and iterative design development, 3D-printed housing components made of PETG are used. However, the first prototypes were not waterproof, so the built-in electronics and sensors were damaged by water ingress. Complete waterproofing, even at great depths, is crucial for the widespread use of drone swarms in a variety of applications.

Sealing all 3D-printed parts of the drone with dichtol AM Hydro reliably ensured complete waterproofing. In addition, the infill density was reduced from 80% to 30%. This reduces material consumption and thus the weight of the drone from 3.78 kg to 2.45 kg, as well as the printing time from 99 hours to 73 hours. This reduces the manufacturing costs of a drone by approximately 10-20%. In addition to water resistance, sealing with dichtol AM Hydro also contributes to more economical production of the drones.

The functionality of the drone swarm was successfully tested in practical tests in swimming pools and lakes. A diving depth of 30 m was achieved, making the drone swarm suitable for a wide range of applications. Thanks to dichtol AM Hydro, complete waterproofing and a reduction in production costs were achieved.