The Edge of Aviation Innovation

Howdy folks -

Feels good to get back in the swing of things.

This week, I’m closely watching DARPA’s Vertical Lift Challenge in Dayton, Ohio.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Vertical Lift Challenge is a heavy-lift competition. Its rules are simple.

Build a drone that carries at least 4x its own weight.
Fly it 5 nautical miles.
Land inside 30 minutes.

That’s the test.

Most drones today barely lift their own weight. That limit is why they typically just carry cameras.

DARPA put $6.5M to push this limit.

Finals run through tomorrow at the National Museum of the US Air Force.

It’s important we understand the true cost of weight when it comes to aviation. I’m still learning.

But the faster we lift the lift constraint, the sooner we’ll see widespread package delivery, rapid wildfire response, and flying cars like the Jetsons.

Here’s a link to the live stream.

And my favorite piece of merch.

The back of a cream T-shirt that reads Lift Beyond Limits, with the winged DARPA Lift Challenge weight plate carrying a crate among clouds.

Godspeed.

If you have questions, shoot me an email. Grateful to connect with like-minded individuals :)