One of the key benefits Norco has been able to demonstrate is its expertise in out-of-autoclave composite manufacturing. The ability for Norco to contribute at this early stage of the project was critical in its success and resulted in a certified first article which undertook test flying. The complexity of the project was ground-breaking, with the need for Norco to develop industry-leading techniques using ultra-light materials and deliver the first set of wing-frames in just nine months.ĭue to the complex requirements for multiple sections that formed the UAV assembly, Norco worked extensively with the customer at the design for manufacture stage. The project is to manufacture all the primary composite structures for a battery and solar powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is being developed by the customer. It is this expertise, and depth of capability, that recently led a new, unnamed customer to commission Norco to work on a project that will have repercussions on a worldwide scale. The company has expanded its capability to be able to offer a complete composite manufacturing service, from CAD design and engineering, through tool-design to the manufacture of finished components using a variety of composite processes. Dorset-based Norco Composites says it has built up a reputation for delivering large complex composite structures.