NASA grants and business training help launch drone company

NASA said its University Student Research Challenge provides grants to teams of college students interested in helping the agency meet its aeronautical research goals. The program also teaches engineering and entrepreneurship skills to participating students.

Gavin Gardner developed his interest in drone technology while he was a Michigan State University engineering student. He and his team learned how to create budgets, handle large sums of money and promote their work for crowdfunding while working on next-generation drone technology.

In 2021, Gardner joined a team that had received a USRC grant for Aerial Intra-city Delivery Electric Drones. The team built and flew a full-scale cargo drone designed to dock on public transportation, charge its batteries and complete a delivery. Gardner said regulations for a novel commercial drone concept over people in a dense city led the team not to pursue a venture.

The demonstration led to a second USRC award from NASA in 2023 for the Laser Energized Aerial Drone System. The project focused on transferring power directly to a drone in flight with a laser. Gardner also learned about internship opportunities through NASA personnel at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

In 2024, Gardner, his brother Gryson Gardner and other USRC alumni founded AG3 Labs. The company specializes in drones for military training exercises. NASA reported that an initial award from the U.S. Army led to more contracts and allowed AG3 Labs to expand. Its production capability now enables thousands of drones to be built each month.

Gardner said USRC gave him technical and business skills that helped create opportunities for him and his team. NASA USRC manager Steven Holz said the program’s grants and guidance showed what students could accomplish and contributed to the aviation industry and future workforce.