DARPA Program Manager Phillip "Donna" Smith provides an overview about the DARPA Lift Challenge, which aims to shatter the heavy lift bottleneck by seeking novel drone designs that can carry payloads more than four times their weight.
By offering $6.5 million in prize money, the Lift Challenge seeks to incentivize university researchers, independent innovators and industry to set a new standard in vertical lift performance.
Registration is tentatively scheduled to open on Jan. 5, 2026, and close May 1, 2026.
