Case Study: Lockheed Martin achieves faster Indago drone development with Protolabs' rapid DFM quoting and injection molding

Protolabs’ automated design for manufacturability feedback and quoting system accelerate liftoff

Lockheed Martin needed faster, more repeatable prototyping and low‑volume production for its Indago quadcopter—used by customers like the RCMP, first responders and the military—but initial SLS 3D‑printed parts lacked batch consistency and strength. To accelerate design cycles and get quick manufacturability guidance, Lockheed Martin turned to Protolabs’ automated quoting system with integrated design‑for‑manufacturability (DFM) feedback and its quick‑turn injection molding services.

Protolabs’ auto‑quoting and DFM guidance let Lockheed Martin iterate designs within a day, move from 3D printing to injection‑molded parts (switching from SLS Nylon 12 to stronger Nylon 66), and receive parts and assemblies in days rather than weeks. The result: improved part strength and batch consistency, fewer redesign iterations, and a rapid transition to production—Lockheed Martin had final injection‑molded parts assembled within four months and used Protolabs for prototyping and low‑volume production of the Indago 2.

Lockheed Martin

Miguel Perez

Lockheed Martin