Contrary to the hype around battlefield manufacturing, Neros argues 3D printing is for prototyping or minor adaptations, not mass production. Core components like circuit boards, motors, and radios cannot be printed, meaning large, centralized factories remain essential for solving fundamental supply chain challenges.
Despite producing over 250 drones daily, Neros uses manual assembly lines because their product isn't designed for automation yet. For rapidly evolving hardware, manual stations provide necessary flexibility. Introducing automation would require a significant product redesign, which is counterproductive during fast development cycles.
Neros deliberately chose a massive facility to avoid future moves and bring component manufacturing in-house. This long-term thinking prioritizes vertical integration and operational stability over the typical startup approach of leasing smaller spaces and moving frequently, which disrupts production and planning.
Neros seats its mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams directly next to the production line. This close physical proximity ensures constant communication and collaboration, preventing a common failure mode where products are designed in a silo without considering manufacturability and then "thrown over the fence" to production.
Neros uses a dedicated New Product Introduction (NPI) line—larger than their previous facility's entire production line—to refine manufacturing processes for new products. This strategy allows them to resolve production challenges and stabilize processes before they are moved to the main line, preventing costly disruptions to scaled output.