05/29/2026
This summer, BYOB — Bring Your Own Binoculars — to the DARPA Lift Challenge, a national competition to reinvent vertical and heavy-lift aviation!
Join us Aug. 6-9, 2026, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force 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.
This free outdoor event is open to the public and is co-located with Flite Fest, a family-friendly festival that features DIY drone projects, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, and RC aerial combats.
Register today to secure your spot: https://ow.ly/6leC50Z58rk