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A team from the Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (CA-AI), within ̽»¨ÊÓƵ's College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been selected to compete in the (DARPA) , a national competition focused on advancing autonomous aerial logistics through next-generation aircraft design.

The DARPA Lift Challenge is part of a long tradition of DARPA-led technology competitions that have influenced the trajectory of emerging industries. Most notably, DARPA's Grand Challenge and Urban Challenge competitions helped accelerate the development of autonomous vehicle technologies years before self-driving systems became commercially viable. Today, DARPA continues to use challenge-based innovation to advance critical technologies, with the Lift Challenge focused on expanding the capabilities of autonomous aviation and aerial logistics.

"DARPA competitions have historically served as catalysts for technological breakthroughs, particularly in autonomous systems," said Dimitris Pados, Ph.D., director of CA-AI and Charles E. Schmidt Eminent Scholar Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. "For our students, participating in the Lift Challenge is an opportunity to engage with a problem at the forefront of aerospace innovation while applying the principles of autonomy, artificial intelligence, and engineering design that are central to CA-AI's research."

Fully funded, organized, and supported by CA-AI, the project brings together seven FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science student researchers under the guidance of CA-AI faculty to design, build, and test heavy-lift autonomous tiltrotor aircraft for the competition.

The DARPA Lift Challenge aims to advance autonomous flight capabilities by challenging teams to significantly increase the payload-to-weight performance of vertical-lift aircraft. Competitors are working toward a 4-to-1 payload-to-weight ratio, a benchmark that exceeds the capabilities of existing aircraft systems and represents a key milestone for future autonomous logistics platforms.

Within CA-AI, students are applying aerospace engineering principles to a fully integrated development process that includes design, simulation, fabrication, and flight testing. The project provides hands-on experience in aircraft systems, autonomy, controls, and advanced manufacturing while contributing to ongoing research in intelligent and autonomous systems.
Development of the aircraft began with detailed computer-aided design and structural and aerodynamic simulations used to validate performance prior to fabrication. The team then transitioned to full prototype assembly, integrating propulsion systems, flight control hardware, and a composite airframe into a single operational platform. The aircraft is currently undergoing flight testing and iterative refinement ahead of the DARPA Lift Challenge in Dayton, Ohio, this August.

The initiative reflects CA-AI's broader mission to advance research and education in networked AI, connected robotics, and autonomous systems, including applied, project-based learning. It also reflects the FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science's commitment to integrating research, innovation, and experiential learning, providing students with opportunities to contribute to nationally significant engineering challenges while developing skills in emerging technologies.

As testing continues, the team is refining system performance and validating design objectives in preparation for competition. The team is also exploring opportunities to collaborate with industry partners to support continued aircraft optimization.
Participation in the DARPA Lift Challenge highlights CA-AI's leadership in advancing autonomous systems while demonstrating the College of Engineering and Computer Science's commitment to preparing students to tackle some of the nation's most ambitious aerospace engineering challenges.

For sponsorship and partnership inquiries related to the DARPA Lift Challenge project, please contact Dimitris Pados, Ph.D., Director of CA-AI at ca-ai@fau.edu.