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12/9/2024: The 2024-2025 Request for Proposal has been updated!
This electric-powered remote-control vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) competition seeks to encourage interest in unmanned aircraft technology, and small air vehicle design and fabrication. The competition is designed to develop hands-on skills and familiarization with eVTOL and advanced air mobility (AAM) technology at the university student level and prepare the next generation of engineers and leaders to push the limits of this exciting technology into the future.
A total of $5,000 in cash will be awarded.
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1st Place Overall: $2,200
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2nd Place Overall: $1,300
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3rd Place Overall: $700
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Top Score Final Technical Report: $400
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Top Score Flyoff Performance: $400
Team eligibility rules include:
- Team members must be full-time students and can be at undergraduate and graduate levels; at least one Faculty Advisor must be named.
- The student team captain(s) and university faculty advisor(s) must be a current VFS member at the time of Letter of Intent submission — the student rate is $25/year.
- Each team’s pilot must also hold an FAA Part 107 Drone Certification or equivalent certifying authority (non-US based teams).
2024-2025 Participating Teams:
| University: |
Team Name: |
| Auburn University |
VSDDL |
| Case Western Reserve University |
VTOL CWRU |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
Thunder Vertical Flight Team |
| Georgia Institute of Technology |
DRXC |
| McGill University |
MDVFS |
| North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University |
Aggie Vertical Flight Club |
| North Carolina State University |
Ignus Dominatus |
| Santa Clara University |
SCU eVTOL Bronco Air |
| Texas A&M University |
Texas A&M Vertical Flight Design Team |
| University of Akron |
Zips Drone Design |
| University of California, Irvine |
AeroZot |
| University of California, San Diego |
Whiplash |
| University of Maryland |
AMAV |
| University of North Dakota |
UND Aerohawks |
| University of Texas at Austin |
VFS at UT |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisco Wingmen |
| Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology |
VCAT Golden Wind |
| York College of Pennsylvania |
Spartan VTOL |
The 4th Annual Design-Build-Vertical Flight Competition was a great success!
 Check out the press release and images! Download the 2024 Request for Proposal.
Texas A&M University won top honors, with prizes also going to University of Maryland, Georgia Tech and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Congratulations to all the student teams who successfully competed in the flyoff!
2023 DBVF Results
SURVICE Applied Technology Operation (ATO) — was the DBVF competition flyoff host in 2023. Check out their video summary
2023 Request for Proposal
 The winners of the 2023 DBVF Student Competition were:
Honorable Mention:
Check out the press release of the final flyoff and awards ceremony.
Congratulations to the following universities, whose Preliminary Design Report (PDR) were the top five scoring teams:
- Cooper Union Aerial Vehicle Team
- Delft University of Technology Lambach Aircraft Team
- University of Cincinnati Verticats Team
- University of Maryland Autonomous Micro Aerial Vehicle Team
- University of Michigan Vertical Flight Technology Team
2022 DBVF Results
 The winners of the 2022 DBVF Student Competition were:
Check out the press release and photo album of the final flyoff and awards ceremony.
Download the 2022 RFP Request for Proposal.
Congratulations to the other competing teams from this year:
- McGill University
- University of Michigan
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology
2021 DBVF Results
 The winners of the inaugural (2021) DBVF Student Competition were:
Honorable mentions:
- McGill University
- Oregon State University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Download the 2021 Request for Proposal.
Check out our photo gallery of the winners and read the press release to learn more. Congrats to all the teams for perservance through all the challenges of design and development during the COVID-19 pandemic!
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Thank you to our 2025 host!
Host Sponsor
Sponsorship Opportunities:
- Platinum Level: $15,000
- Gold Level: $5,000
- Silver Level: $2,500
- Bronze Level: $1,000
Please download the 2024-2025 DBVF Sponsorship Flyer for more details.
2025 Timeline for Deliverables:
12/9/2024: 2024-2025 RFP has been updated
- Letters of Intent: due October 30, 2024
If a team needs an exception to the deadline for the LOI, please reach out to fly@hq.vtol.org.
- Safety & Risk Mitigation Plan: January 13, 2025
- Final Technical Reports: March 3, 2025
- Final Presentations (Virtual): Week of March 17, 2025
- Video Submission Deadline: March 24, 2025
- Flyoff Dates: April 1-4, 2025 [Exact dates/time TBD]
Questions: Email fly@hq.vtol.org
DBVF 2024 Event Overview (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Questions should be submitted by the 15th of every month
Updated FAQ document will be posted the end of each month
2025 Venue:
SURVICE ATO
3538 Aldino Road
Churchville, MD 21028
Fly-off Host
Software Sponsorship:
Ansys is offering free simulation software for all student participants of the DBVF Competition. Please navigate to the link below to learn more.
Free Software for Student Design Teams | Ansys Partnership
Students can also refer to Ansys' online learning platform for topics such as CFD, structural physics, and more:
Ansys Innovation Courses
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