About

This section outlines the official flight course dimensions, color-coded operational zones, and the mandatory procedures associated with each boundary. All teams are required to understand and adhere to these rules during their scoring attempts.

The flight lane is a defined corridor measuring 100 feet wide by 1,100 feet long. A multi-tiered zone system will be used to provide real-time feedback and enforce safety protocols.

Zone Definitions and Required Actions

Green Zone (Safe Flight Corridor)

• Dimensions: A 60-foot-wide by 1,060-foot-long corridor centered within the flight lane.
• Description: This is the designated safe and optimal flight path. Operations within this zone are considered nominal.

Yellow Zone (Warning Buffer)

• Dimensions: A 20-foot buffer area located along the inside edges of the flight lane.
• Description: Entry into the Yellow Zone indicates that the aircraft is approaching the lane boundary. A visual warning will be triggered on the Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) display.
• Required Action: None

Red Zone (Run Termination)

• Dimensions: The area beginning 35 feet outside of the primary flight lane boundary.
• Description: Entry into the Red Zone constitutes a boundary excursion and results in the immediate termination of the scoring attempt.
• Required action: The scoring attempt for that run is officially concluded. The pilot must safely maneuver the aircraft back into the lane and return to the starting position. Subject to remaining mission time, the team may refuel, re-weigh, and begin a new attempt.

Black Zone (Geofence Breach)

• Dimensions: The entire area beyond the site's established geofence perimeter (indicated by a dotted line on the RPIC display).
• Description: A Geofence Breach is a critical safety event. It indicates the aircraft has left the designated operational area. The following tiered emergency protocol is mandatory.

Required Action Protocol

1. Immediate correction: The pilot's primary and immediate responsibility is to attempt to guide the aircraft back inside the flight box.
2. Land immediately: If the aircraft is unresponsive to corrective inputs, the pilot must land the aircraft immediately, regardless of its position.
3. Activate kill switch: If the aircraft is unresponsive, cannot be landed safely, and continues to travel away from the operational area, the pilot must activate the kill switch as the final resort to ensure site containment.

To be eligible to receive prize money, the Lift Challenge requires registrants' Social Security Number (SSN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). See Rules for additional eligibility requirements.

Objective Categories

Overall Payload-to-Weight Ratio
This is the primary metric, with prizes awarded to first ($2.5M), second ($1.5M), and third ($1M) place.

• Measurement: Payload and aircraft weight in pounds (lbs), as measured by a certified and calibrated scale. The scale must have a resolution of at least 0.1 lbs (0.045 kg).
   
• Scoring: The primary metric is the maximum payload weight divided by the aircraft weight. In the event of a tie, the team with the highest payload weight will be declared the winner. If a tie persists, the team with the fastest time will be declared the winner. Each team will be evaluated based on its ‘most successful’ singular run across all of its attempts. Please note score signifies payload weight (lbs) / aircraft weight (lbs).
   
• Verification: DARPA representative will weigh the aircraft and payload right before flight.
   
• Payload requirement: Teams must meet a minimum of 110 lbs payload and follow the course rules for score consideration. The top three teams will receive the full prize award if they are above the 4:1 ratio. If they are below the 4:1 ratio, the team will receive 50% of the prize award.

Subjective Categories

These categories will be judged by a panel of DARPA experts and will be based on a combination of technical merit, innovation, and potential impact.

• Most Revolutionary Aerodynamic Design ($500,000)
  Evaluation Criteria: Novelty of the design, potential for improved performance (e.g., lift, drag, stability), and feasibility of operation.
   
• Most Revolutionary Powertrain Design ($500,000)
  Evaluation Criteria: Novelty of the propulsion system, potential for improved efficiency, reliability, and scalability.
   
• Most Promising ($500,000)
  Evaluation Criteria: Overall potential of the design to meet customer’s needs, considering factors such as cost, performance, scalability, usability, and transition potential.

Eligibility

• Intent to compete: Individuals and teams must attempt to complete the course, high performance and completion of the course is desired but not required to be eligible for this prize category.
  
  Example: You have a novel design, but crashed on takeoff.
   
• A team who wins an objective category can also be eligible for one or more subjective categories.