DARPA launches Lift Challenge seeking drone to carry 4x its 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 designed to push the boundaries of heavy vertical-lift drone technology. The challenge seeks a drone capable of lifting and transporting a payload four times its own weight, with $6.5 million in prizes awarded to winners. Program manager Phillip 'Donna' Smith, a Marine Corps Reserve lieutenant colonel, stated the goal is to dramatically increase useful load and reduce cost per pound of cargo transported, comparing the potential impact to the assembly line or reusable rockets. The competition aligns with the Defense Department's Drone Dominance initiative. Over 100 competitors have entered, including drone manufacturers, engineers, academics, and hobbyists. Drones must weigh under 55 pounds, lift a minimum 110-pound payload, and move it 1,000 feet back and forth 30 times in under 30 minutes. The event begins August 2 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, with final days open to the public and livestreamed on YouTube.