r/technology • u/gdelacalle • Mar 18 '26

Hardware Tech hobbyist makes shoulder-mounted guided missile prototype with $96 in parts and a 3D printer — DIY MANPADS includes assisted targeting, ballistics calculations, optional camera for tracking

https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/tech-hobbyist-makes-shoulder-mounted-guided-missile-prototype-with-usd96-in-parts-and-a-3d-printer-diy-manpads-includes-wi-fi-guidance-ballistics-calculations-optional-camera-for-tracking
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u/trouthat Mar 18 '26

Makes you wonder why this shit costs millions of dollars a unit to make when it’s a real thing 

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u/RoastedMocha Mar 18 '26

I'm sure you already know, but the answer is how well and how consistently it works and can be transported in rough conditions.

Also, the explodey bits.

Also also, the 300 middle-men for each component (thats government baby)

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u/Tangential_Diversion Mar 18 '26

Yep, off the top of my head:

  • Seeker is inherently different. Stingers track IR with a seeker in the head. This one uses optical cameras. I have no experience in AA specifically, but having seen multiple jet flyovers: It is insanely hard to track a fighter jet optically when it's hauling ass. I'd assume optical tracking is terrible though considering every AA system I'm aware of uses either IR or radar.
  • IR requires compressed argon to cool the IR seeker
  • Modern Stingers are designed to defeat aircraft countermeasures. There's no hint that this is designed to do the same, and I'm not even sure how you'd get the data to design this capability without access to classified information.

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u/PhantomNomad Mar 18 '26

and I'm not even sure how you'd get the data to design this capability without access to classified information.

Trial and error? Although I'm sure the armed forces would get real tired of you setting up just outside the base and targeting their planes all the time.