17-year-old student builds 3D-printed drone in garage, interests DoD and MIT

Agnapot writes: While many teenagers devote their free time to social media or gaming, 17-year-old Taylor built a 3D-printed drone in his garage, and has already received an award from the Department of Defense, and is set to join MIT.

The journey began with a simple observation. When Taylor’s younger sister received a consumer drone that delivered only 30 minutes of flight time, the tech-savvy teenager saw room for improvement. Instead of accepting existing limitations, he immersed himself in VTOL mechanics – aircraft capable of helicopter-like takeoffs followed by airplane-style forward flight.

The 17-year-old American prodigy has engineered what experts are calling a game-changing drone innovation. This teenage genius developed a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone that operates more efficiently than commercial models while costing significantly less. His groundbreaking creation has captured the attention of the Pentagon, resulting in $23,000 in awards from the Department of Defense.