# Machina selected to deploy robotic factories for LUCAS-class drone airframes The company was selected to develop and qualify a metal airframe, then deploy two pilot robotic factories under a Department of War industrial base challenge. Published 2026-11-06 by TGOs. Canonical: https://tgos.io/news/2026/11/06/machina-selected-to-deploy-robotic-factories-for-lucas-class/ Machina announced its selection Nov. 6 to develop and qualify a metal airframe for a LUCAS-class aircraft under the Department of War’s Organic Industrial Base Modernization Challenge.[1] The program also includes two pilot expeditionary robotic factories, which Machina calls Edge Factories, to support production.[1] The program pairs airframe qualification with a plan to deploy manufacturing equipment closer to the point of need.[1] Machina Bellator, the company’s defense subsidiary, leads the program, which will begin at Machina’s Los Angeles facilities.[1] Development and qualification of the airframe will precede deployment of the factories.[1] LUCAS-class refers to a low-cost uncrewed combat attack system, a type of Class 3 unmanned aircraft system.[1] Each pilot factory will initially center on a containerized manufacturing cell supported by engineers, software and complementary production equipment.[1] Machina says its RoboForming technology makes metal structures directly from digital geometry without dies or hard tooling.[1] Machina says it has manufactured and flown a drone demonstrator using a manufacturing workflow developed with nTop, completing the assembled structure just weeks after final design lock.[1] ## Why it matters Machina says the factories can produce drone airframes in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional composite manufacturing.[1] The two factories are pilots, and the announcement does not disclose the dollar value, contract instrument, production quantities or a deployment schedule.[1] ## Sources 1. Machina Selected by U.S. Department of War to Deploy Expeditionary Robotic Factories for LUCAS Manufacturing, Machina release via Business Wire, Nov. 6, 2026