Tech hobbyist makes shoulder-mounted guided missile prototype with $96 in parts

The democratization and subsequent ubiquity of 3D printers have enabled almost any home enthusiast to produce utilities and products previously only attainable to large factories with big equipment. Even still, it's safe to say that our bingo cards did not predict a techie making a shoulder-mounted, 3D printed guided missile system for all of $96.

In a five-minute YouTube video, Alisher Khojayev goes over the basics of this Stinger-like creation, comprising the launcher, the actual missile, and even an optional camera node tracking system for added tracking capabilities. Most of the missile's major parts are 3D printed, while the electronics bits are cheap, widely available microprocessors and sensors. All the gear is tied down and wired with off-the-shelf hardware store parts, too.

When a user inserts a missile into the launcher and hits the first switch, they activate a Wi-Fi network between the launcher and a control computer. The computer takes in all the rocket's telemetry and starts performing ballistic calculations to relay to the launcher, and then to the missile. Once the second switch is hit, the connection extends to the rocket itself, and at that moment, orientation angles start being calculated for the missile's canards to use (the movable wings that jut out of the missile to orient it).

The launcher contains an ESP32 microprocessor along with a GPS, barometer, and compass. The missile itself contains another ESP32, coupled with an MPU6050 inertial measurement unit for calculating orientation and velocity, and move the canards as mentioned.

As points of comparison, the well-known Stinger MANPADS goes for up to a cool $480,000, and even the U.S. Air Force's CAMP low-cost missile program is currently targeting half a million per launch. While these are literally military-grade units with high reliability, and Khojayev's just-launched prototype has no effectiveness track record, at $96, it is roughly 5,000 times cheaper to make.

Despite the tech-cool factor of the project, it raises significant safety and legal concerns. Some see it as a predictable development in the era of 3D printing, while others warn that such projects could lead to stricter regulations on hobbyist technology. Experts strongly advise against attempting to build weapon systems at home due to extreme safety risks and legal consequences.