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Lift Challenge

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Contract Overview

Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.

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The DARPA Lift Challenge is a public competition designed to accelerate innovation in vertical and heavy-lift aviation through novel drone designs. Open to teams from companies, startups, universities, and independent innovators, the event culminates in a live demonstration from August 6 to 9, 2026, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, with free public admission. Competitors must field drones weighing no more than 55 pounds capable of carrying payloads of at least 220 pounds over a 5-nautical-mile course, with prize money of $6.5 million awarded to those achieving the highest payload-to-weight ratios and most innovative solutions. The competition is structured as a “chase the leader” format, testing not only performance but also reliability and engineering ingenuity under real-world conditions. Beyond the immediate stakes, the challenge aims to catalyze long-term advancement in American drone technology, benefiting both military operations and civilian applications. Spectators are encouraged to attend in person, where drone flights will be visible via Jumbotrons and enhanced with binoculars due to the venue’s scale, while the entire event will be livestreamed on YouTube from August 2 to 9. Advance registration is required for attendance, and the competition is part of a broader effort by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to push the boundaries of flight efficiency, autonomy, and payload capacity, positioning the United States at the forefront of next-generation aerial systems.

General Info

DARPA Lift Challenge rewards drones carrying 220+ pounds across 5 nautical miles, August 2026.

Agency

Department of Defense → Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyView Agency

NAICS

336411 - Aircraft ManufacturingView NAICS

Place of Performance

Not specified

Set-Aside

NONE

Documents

(0)

No documents available

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Organization & Contact Information

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AgencyDepartment of Defense → Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
ContactsNo contacts available
OfficeN/A
Organization / Agency
Department of Defense → Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
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Office AddressN/A
ContactsNo contact information available

Full Description

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A Competition for Novel Drone Designs – Open to the PublicThe DARPA Lift Challenge is a national competition to reinvent vertical and heavy-lift aviation. The final four days of competition are open to the public from Aug. 6-9, 2026, from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET in Dayton, Ohio. Admission is free.DARPA invites the community to watch competitors demonstrate novel drone designs that are both lightweight and powerful. After months of development, teams representing established companies, startups, universities, and garage-innovators will assemble for a “chase the leader” competition. Drones weighing no more than 55 pounds will attempt to carry four times their weight (220 pounds) or more over a demanding 5-nautical-mile course. Those with the highest payload-to-weight ratios and novel designs will win $6.5 million in prizes.But it’s not just a prize competition – it's a catalyst for long-term growth and innovation across the American drone industry. Participants will play a critical role in advancing vertical lift technologies that will have far-reaching benefits for military missions and civilian needs.BYOB - As in Binoculars!This is a large venue, so we encourage you to bring binoculars. We'll also display the drone runs on Jumbotrons at the venue and via livestream on our YouTube channel throughout the event.Virtual LivestreamThe full competition will be live streamed on YouTube for the duration of the competition from Aug. 2-9.Join Us!This is a free, outdoor event held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. To help with planning, we ask spectators to register in advance.Get details and reserve your seat!Reserve your spot

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