# DARPA Lift Challenge recognizes heavy-payload drone teams

_Published Friday, August 14, 2026 at 4:06 PM EDT · Robotics · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![One of the many drone designs seen at DARPA's Lift Challenge — Primary](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/1011d7b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1400x735+0+99/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F8a%2F4e%2Fae04f779481ebf714d71e76dfb35%2Fdtc-aug-4-22089.jpg&na.image_optimisation=0)

DARPA's Lift Challenge awarded top payload-to-weight performance prizes after tests in Ohio from Aug. 2 to 9. Nearly 100 teams from more than 30 U.S. states and 25 countries entered the competition, which called for VTOL aircraft under 55 pounds to carry a 110-pound payload over a specified course. AVIDrone placed first with a 3.84:1 payload-to-weight ratio, followed by MTech Operations at 3.64:1 and Xtreme Aerial Concepts at 3.45:1. No top team reached the competition's 4:1 target, while DefendTex reported a 9.63:1 ratio but did not complete a scored run.

## Sources

- [New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News](https://newatlas.com/drones/darpa-drone-lift-challenge/)

---
Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/MLLnTiM--ffhaNtNfZxbN-
Published: 2026-08-14T20:06:03.637Z
Story chronology: 2026-08-14T15:30:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-29T06:59:26.288Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)