Case Study: Trimble achieves certified, faster production of lighter drone frames with Materialise

Trimble UX5 Drones from Prototyping to Certified Additive Manufacturing

Trimble UAS (formerly Gatewing) partnered with Materialise to move its UX5 surveying drones from rapid prototyping into certified production. Initially using Materialise OnSite services—producing prototypes with Laser Sintering and FDM, then masters in Stereolithography for Vacuum Casting—Trimble’s challenge was to create a lighter, stronger frame with consistent joint adhesion while meeting strict aerospace-style tolerances, traceability, and quality standards required for certified manufacturing.

Materialise led a co‑creation effort that redesigned the frame for Additive Manufacturing, integrating glue channels for consistent assembly and using certified additive processes supported by RapidFit+ tooling (a custom calibrated jig) for precision. Materialise now delivers fully assembled drone frames (including cables), speeding production, avoiding new-mold costs, and enabling longer flight times from lighter frames; the partnership produced over 500 frames this year and gave Trimble back time to focus on design and product development.

Trimble

Maarten Durie

Product Manager