Small, Kinetic UAV Printed in the Battlefield

In this episode of Micro Journeys Inside Access, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Benjamin Fowl, Head of Growth for Wild West Systems, at African Lion 2026 to examine a compact drone weapons platform designed to be small, fast, and difficult to detect or shoot down. The conversation covers the system's platform-agnostic design, its field-tested integration with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the mechanics of how the drone fires, aims, and returns to base for reuse. The episode dives into a core challenge facing forces operating in complex terrain: how to deliver a kinetic capability that is lightweight, reusable, and adaptable to the platform a unit already has on hand, without requiring heavy logistics to get the system into and out of theater. Fowl explains how a 3D-printed mounting rail allowed the 173rd to adapt the weapon system to a drone they brought from Italy, going from a modified CAD file to a field-ready mount in under 24 hours. The solution centers on a platform-agnostic weapons payload, built around a Picatinny rail, that can be swapped between reconnaissance and kinetic missions and refined directly through feedback from the soldiers using it in the field. What You'll Discover in This Episode:[00:25] Daniel introduces the small drone from Wild West Systems, highlighting its compact form factor, low detectability, and ability to fire live rounds.[01:32] Benjamin Fowl explains the platform-agnostic design and how the weapon system was mounted on a UAS the 173rd brought from Italy.[02:08] The field-printing process is broken down: a modified CAD file, an overnight 3D print, and a next-morning mount that sent the system downrange.[03:21] Fowl details the modular Picatinny rail system, allowing units to swap between reconnaissance payloads and the reusable, non-attritable weapons payload — including a magazine-fed version for multiple shots.[04:16] The munition itself is described as equivalent to a nine millimeter round, functioning as a recoilless rifle with an internal propellant ignited by a spark.[04:44] Fowl explains the current aiming method using a laser, with gimbal-based targeting planned for future versions. Let’s ConnectDaniel MarrujoBenjamin FowlTSS WebsiteLearn more about TSS: https://tss.llc/micro-journeys-podcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.