If DefendTex can pass the DARPA course, they will likely win
Their drone is 12lbs with a 112 lb payload weight (9.63:1)
The top teams don't want to crash out of competition before graded runs, so there are a lot of test flights
Anyone else following the DARPA Lift Challenge?
$6.5M in prize money to build a drone that can:
- Stay under 55 lbs
- Take off with a 110 lb minimum payload (4x its weight)
- Fly 4 nautical miles loaded (12 laps)
- Drop the payload
- Fly 1 more nautical mile empty (3 laps)
- Finish inside a 30-min window
Top 3 teams split the full prize as long as they clear the 4:1 ratio.
Most heavy-lift drones can barely lift their own weight. DARPA wants 4x. That's never been done.
I think these group dinner problems exist online only because no, we don’t make the people who don’t drink, just ordered an app, or just coming to hang & ordered a beverage split the bill evenly because we have sense.