Teenager unveils budget‑friendly, high‑performance drone, earning $23,000 from the Department of Defense.

Meet 17‑Year‑Old Drone Trailblazer

Cooper Taylor, a 17‑year‑old tech whiz, is already reshaping the aerial drone landscape.

Target industries: agriculture, disaster response, wildlife studies, rescue missions, and medical drops.
Key promise: a drone that is more efficient, user‑customizable, and dramatically cheaper.
Hands‑on work: six fully functional prototypes built via 3D‑printed parts, custom software, and a soldered control board.

Taylor claims his labor‑intensive build cost just one‑fifth of a comparable commercial unit, which typically sells for several thousand dollars.

April: $8,000 from the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, backed by the Defense Department.
May 16: $15,000 from the US Navy, earned after presenting at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

His ultimate vision? “If you’re a first responder, researcher, or everyday problem solver, you can access this type of drone.”

Taylor’s latest prototype weighs about 6 pounds.
Wingspan measures a little over 4 feet.
Craig has flown the drone for up to 15 minutes at a time.
Power consumption calculations predict a cruise time of 105 minutes at 45 mph.

Cooper’s contribution blends curiosity with disciplined work, a trait typically seen in top college students, according to Handelman.

He notes that Taylor’s successful aircraft flight underscores persistence, creativity, and problem‑solving skills.

Taylor is building his seventh iteration of the drone.
Long‑term goal: make the drone small enough to remove wings and fit into a backpack.
This summer, the high schooler will join the Reliable Autonomous Systems Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a distinct drone initiative.