Home / Aerospace AM / Drones/UAV / EOS 3D printing at heart of NW Rapid Manufacturing’s UAV production services 3D Printing Service Providers Aerospace AM Drones/UAV Executive Interviews Sponsored EOS 3D printing at heart of NW Rapid Manufacturing’s UAV production services Exclusive interview with Nick Classen, General Manager at NW Rapid Manufacturing Tess Boissonneault August 10, 2026 5 minutes read Small goods UAV developed by Matternet with NW Rapid Manufacturing (Photo: NW Rapid Manufacturing) Stay up to date with everything that is happening in the wonderful world of AM via our LinkedIn community. Applications for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have grown significantly in recent decades, driven by demand from various sectors, including defense, agriculture, energy, construction, and logistics. With autonomous or remote-controlled aircraft increasingly used across industries for surveying, reconnaissance, photography, delivery, and more, production requirements have grown, and additive manufacturing has become an integral part of UAV manufacturing. This growth is exemplified by Northwest UAV, a company founded in 2005 by Chris Harris in a garage in McMinnville, Oregon. When it started, Harris’ company made small single-cylinder engines for a UAV producer called Insitu (which was acquired by Boeing in 2008). Over the years, Northwest UAV grew in size and scope: growing its team to nearly 100 people, supplying engine systems to Insitu and other UAV companies, selling their own UAV engine systems, and even spinning out an SLS manufacturing service, Northwest Rapid Manufacturing , in 2008. Since 2008, NW Rapid Manufacturing has supported all additive manufacturing needs for Northwest UAV, using its reliable fleet of EOS SLS 3D printers, auxiliary equipment, and skilled engineering team to bring functional prototypes and end-use drone components to life. In recent years, the company has also expanded its services to other customers, such as other UAV manufacturers as well as aerospace, automotive, and medical clients. A NorthWest UAV 44 UAV engine system We had the opportunity recently to chat with Nick Classen, General Manager at NW Rapid Manufacturing, about the importance of AM—SLS in particular—in the growing UAV market and how the company’s close relationship with powder bed fusion leader EOS has been integral to its success. A dynamic duo According to Classen, 3D printing was a natural fit from the early days of the UAV industry, offering a beneficial combination of characteristics to the developers and makers of the flying devices. For one, the technology facilitates rapid iterations for prototypes to test functionality and fit, all without the need for tooling. Design freedom has been another key draw, enabling UAV manufacturers to consolidate multiple components into a single assembly and optimize part geometries for weight reduction.