$2000 AirKamuy 150 cardboard drone

Posted by AlbinoAkon@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 34 comments

The drone, known as the AirKamuy 150, is a lightweight fixed-wing platform built primarily from corrugated cardboard with a water-resistant coating. Unlike conventional military drones that rely on expensive composite materials and specialized aerospace manufacturing, the AirKamuy 150 is designed around extreme affordability and mass production.

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TheSussyWaffle@reddit

Why not coroplast instead? Similar price i imagine and certainly more waterproof

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BobnitTivol@reddit

The front is going to fall off.

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qtpss@reddit

That’s why it has a minimum crew of at least zero.

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ambientocclusion@reddit

It’s going to blow up the environment.

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workahol_@reddit

Not surprising since the whole thing is chock full of cardboard derivatives

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Shaun_Jones@reddit

It only has to last one flight.

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StyrofoamUnderwear@reddit

I think the advantage of something like this would be the ability to easily transport many of them and build in the field.

Does anyone know of a company in the US that is developing these?

I have something to offer them that might make this make more sense as far as the board material they are using. (Stronger and lighter)

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vonHindenburg@reddit

While this is probably ecologically-better long-term, given what a permanent nightmare battlefields have become...

Is cardboard really a better solution than light plastic sheeting from either a weight or cost perspective?

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kontemplador@reddit

Is cardboard really a better solution than light plastic sheeting or foam board from either a weight or cost perspective?

My thoughts as well. There are drones in that class made from plywood or glass fiber. Both are cheap and they are stronger than cardboard.

Most of the cost of these drones go into the fly control system and the guidance. The later will likely get more expensive and complicated as electronic countermeasures become widespread.

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Starman68@reddit

This is specifically for battlefields where it doesn’t rain and the enemy doesn’t use flame throwers.

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rob189@reddit

Australia has been sending similar cardboard drones to Ukraine for a few years, these aren’t a new idea.

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popsicle_of_meat@reddit

What kind of statement is this??

"Its appeal lay in cost and volume: these drones can be launched rapidly at a fraction of what a Tomahawk missile runs."

Why are they comparing a cheap drone to a tomahawk missile?? They are completely different worlds of unmanned aircraft.

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Significant_Quit_674@reddit

The point is that it is cheap, mass produceable and great for either low value targets or overwhelming en my air defence by virtue of numbers.

As some countries, like for example the US, are known to shoot with expensive Tomahawks against cheap Toyotas due to lack of alternatives, this fills the nieche a lot cheaper.

It obviously doesn't compete with the Tomahawk on its entire spectrum of capabilities, it can't survive in a high threat environent anywhere near as well, it's slower and probably lower range.

But if you just need to get explosives to a not well defended target, it can do that while being even cheaper than the Toyota Hilux it destroys.

And if the enemy takes it down with a missile, that's a net welin for you.

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Gunrock808@reddit

It means that this sort of technology is attractive to states or non-state actors that can't afford or don't have access to advanced technology like long range missiles.

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popsicle_of_meat@reddit

I get that, but why not compare this low speed, short range, small payload, minimally capable surveillance drone to another (like the Raven). Rather than comparing it to a high speed, long range, heavy payload warhead delivery device that is NOT a surveillance drone but is actually a nuclear capable cruise missile.

It is not a substitute in any way to the Tomahawk. Comparing it at all is misleading.

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PsychoTexan@reddit

Because cutting corners on military procurement has always and will always be the hot thing to do by countries during peacetime. Truthfulness be damned.

IMO it’s trying desperately to distinguish themselves from the existing 3yr old cardboard drone in the same role: the Corvo PPDS. They seem extremely similar, so unless they’re working anti-jamming miracles it may just be Japanese procurement shenanigans or internal business politics at play.

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ctesibius@reddit

Article.

What I’m not clear on is the control system: whether that’s included in the cost. The article mentions swarm attacks, which could be a major use, but only if they can be controlled in volume.

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Vecna_Is_My_Co-Pilot@reddit

If it's ready to use out of box, $2k is a screaming deal.

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rimo2018@reddit

It's made from the box

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GamingGems@reddit

EVOLUTION!!!

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fullouterjoin@reddit

Flying Inside A CARDBOARD airplane (Manned flight!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI52ghUYKO4

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DuelJ@reddit

I already knew it was Peter Stripole before clicking lol

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Federal_Cobbler6647@reddit

Burt Rutan of "lets make it from cardboard and RC plane components".

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CosmicPenguin@reddit

I guess the Japanese know a few things about making extra-cheap, single-use planes....

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ImNot6Four@reddit

Spirit airlines shuts down and then this is the rise of the phenix through its ashes?

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Flucloxacillin25pc@reddit

Looks like a Trump attempt at a drone. Does he get 90 cents on the dollar?

BTW, moderators, this is a (stiff) ‘paper plane’.

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NedTaggart@reddit

this seems expensive. foamboard planes have been around for a while now and there are several projects out there for arduino that allow pathing or loitering within a geofence.

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