DARPA launches Lift Challenge, requiring drones to carry 4x their own weight

Published Jul 30, 01:45 PM UTC

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will launch its inaugural Lift Challenge next week, a competition to develop a drone capable of lifting and transporting a payload four times its own weight. The agency will award $6.5 million in prizes. The challenge aims to overcome the low payload-to-weight ratio limitations of current multirotor drones, potentially revolutionizing industries like agriculture, logistics, and construction. Over 100 competitors, including drone manufacturers, engineers, academics, and hobbyists, have entered. The competition requires drones under 55 pounds to carry a minimum 110-pound payload over a 1,000-foot course 30 times in under 30 minutes. The event aligns with the Defense Department's Drone Dominance initiative and will be held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, starting August 2, with livestreaming on YouTube.