At just 17 years old, Cooper Taylor is leaving the technology community speechless thanks to his ambitious project: a super VTOL drone printed in 3D, which can be built almost entirely with a home printer. Most surprisingly, the drone has caught the attention of the U.S. Department of Defense, which has approved it for $23,000 in grants.

Tilt-rotor innovation and 3D components

Cooper's reinvented design includes a tilt-rotor mechanism: the motors perform both vertical takeoff and horizontal flight functions, without the need for additional engines, which reduces costs, weight, and energy consumption. This system, known as a tilt-rotor, is only seen on very advanced drones or vehicles like the V-22 Osprey, which makes it all the more striking in a student design. Furthermore, every part of the drone—from the chassis to the propellers—is modular and can be printed with a home 3D printer. The result: a drone that costs one-fifth the price of commercial equivalents (which typically run several thousand dollars). Cooper says anyone with access to a 3D printer and basic assembly skills could build their own model. To date, Cooper has built six prototypes, printing, programming, and soldering all the components himself. The first three failed spectacularly, including one that crashed after rising about 50 feet. But he persisted,learning to code, using online forums, and even taking online courses. The fourth prototype eventually flew and landed successfully, validating her concept. The sixth prototype weighs 2.7 kg, has a wingspan of over 1.2 meters, and flies for up to 15 minutes, although with future improvements it could reach a cruise speed of 105 minutes.

DoD Recognition and a Promising Future

The impact of this project has been so great that Cooper has earned $23,000 in scholarships: $8,000 from the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), funded by the Department of Defense, and $15,000 from the U.S. Navy after presenting her work at the Regeneron ISEF Science and Engineering Fair. The scientific and military communities have taken note, and for good reason: his drone is efficient, inexpensive, modular, and replicable.

A mentor of Cooper's, David Handelman of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, has highlighted his dedication, curiosity, and level of engineering: "He works at the level I typically see in college students." Meanwhile, Winnie Boyle, director of competencies for the National Science Teaching Association, stated that "having people in STEM careers is a matter of national security."

This institutional recognition is proof that the U.S. government is committed to young talent with military and civilian potential. After the first six prototypes, Cooper is already working on the seventh, with the goal of making it lighter, more portable, and able to be disassembled to fit in a backpack. He also plans to incorporate autonomous navigation systems for longer, more precise flights.

This summer, he will participate in a program at MIT's Reliable Autonomous Systems Lab, which will open doors for him to work on autonomous flight algorithms and cutting-edge technologies. His intentions are not only commercial: he also dreams of using his drone in disaster zones, smart agriculture, and environmental monitoring, where traditional drones cannot reach or are too expensive.