NASA Student Challenge Launches Drone Startup AG3 Labs

Gavin Gardner thought the hardest part of his NASA research project would be building cutting-edge drones. Instead, the Michigan State engineering student discovered that managing budgets and pitching ideas was just as challenging as the technology itself.

That unexpected lesson became the foundation for AG3 Labs, the military drone company Gardner co-founded in 2024 with his brother and fellow students. Their journey started five years earlier when Gardner joined NASA's University Student Research Challenge, a program that gives college teams grants to tackle real aeronautical research while learning entrepreneurship.

"Half the battle is building your product," Gardner said. "The other half is selling the product in a way that everyone else can understand what you're doing and not talking in nerdy, engineering ways."

Gardner's team won two NASA grants between 2021 and 2023. First, they built drones that could "hitchhike" on city buses, docking on top to recharge before continuing deliveries. Their second project used lasers to transfer power directly to drones mid-flight.

Both projects flew successfully, giving Gardner hands-on experience with complex technology. But more importantly, the NASA program taught him how to handle large budgets, promote technical work to non-engineers, and navigate the business side of innovation.

When a friend suggested the military needed affordable drones to test defense systems, Gardner saw an opportunity. He and his brother Gryson, along with other NASA program alumni, launched AG3 Labs in late 2024.

An initial Army contract opened doors to more work. Today, the young company can produce thousands of drones each month for military training exercises.

The Ripple Effect

Steven Holz, the NASA program manager, said Gardner's success shows what happens when students get both funding and mentorship. The program aims to build the future aerospace workforce while solving real NASA challenges.

"We hope that every team that participates in the program sees, like Gavin, how they can grow technically, entrepreneurially, and use the opportunity as a launchpad for their own innovative careers," Holz said.

Gardner's path began with a middle school trip to Space Camp, where he caught the engineering bug. He and his brother spent countless hours tinkering with machinery in their Michigan garage, building the foundation for their future company.

Now, those garage projects have evolved into a business serving national defense needs, proving that combining technical skills with business savvy can turn student research into real-world impact.