Japanese drones and 3D printing technology can build emergency housing within 48 hours, with seismic performance meeting national standards

The drone swarm 3D printing system developed by Skyprint, an Osaka-based construction technology company, has demonstrated astonishing efficiency in the post-earthquake reconstruction of Kyushu. With 12 drones working in coordination, it completed the printing of the walls of an emergency housing unit spanning 25 square meters within 48 hours, achieving a speed increase of 8 times compared to traditional construction methods. The lightweight concrete material used in this technology contains 30% industrial waste and has a compressive strength of 21MPa, meeting 85% of Japan's JIS building standards and achieving a seismic rating of 6. ​

At the resettlement site in Kumamoto Prefecture, the first batch of 10 drone-printed houses have been put into use, with a cost of about $12,000 per house, which is 30% lower than that of temporary prefabricated houses. Resident Akiko Tanaka said, "The houses are stronger than I expected, the internal temperature is more comfortable than that of prefabricated houses, and the sound insulation effect is also better." Project engineer Kentaro Sato explained, "The drone fleet maintains a printing accuracy of 0.5 millimeters through a synchronous positioning system, and can adapt to terrain with slopes up to 15 degrees, making it particularly suitable for complex post-disaster environments. The construction waste generated during the printing process is only 5% of that from traditional construction."

Skyprint has signed an agreement with Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, planning to apply this technology to the construction of 50 emergency shelters across the country by 2025. The goal is to shorten the printing time of single-family houses to 24 hours and add printing functions for roofs and interiors. Currently, construction companies in Singapore and New Zealand have expressed their intention to cooperate, hoping to introduce this technology to meet the rapid resettlement needs after climate disasters.