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Annual VFS Design-Build-Vertical Flight Competition

Home » Benefits and Resources » Education and Student Activities » Annual VFS Design-Build-Vertical Flight Competition

The RFP for the 2026-2027 DBVF Competition has been released! Please submit your LOI by October 30, 2026. 

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. Image

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    Premier Sponsor/Software Sponsor

    AVL is excited to partner with DBVF again to support this year's competitors!

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    Host Sponsor

    Fly-off: Apr. 6-9, 2027
    SURVICE ATO
    3538 Aldino Road
    Churchville, MD 21028

 
  • Rules and Eligibility

    Team eligibility rules:

    • Each team must submit an entry fee of $350. Schools which are current VFS Educational Members are exempt from this fee.
    • 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 $30/year. Every fly-off participant must be active VFS member prior to arrival. Learn more about VFS membership enrollment and benefits!
    • Each team’s pilot must also hold a current FAA Part 107 Drone Certification or equivalent certifying authority (non-US based teams).
    • Previous years' details, including FTR and footage from the fly-offs, can be found on this webpage. 

Refer to the Request for Proposal for requirements, rules and deadlines. 

List of FAQ is updated every month to provide clarity to the RFP.

2026-2027 DBVF Sponsorship Brochure

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Letter of Intent

Submit by October 30, 2026 to join the competition.

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Safety and Wiring Plan

Submit your Safety, Risk & Wiring Plan by January 7, 2027

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Team Fly-Off Participant List

Submit by January 21, 2027, along with a copy of FAA Part 107.

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Final Technical Report

Submit your Final Technical Report by February 26, 2027.

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Video Submission

A video of the aircraft demonstrating flight readiness is due by March 23, 2027.

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Fly-Off

The fly-off will be held at Survice Engineering ATO during April 6-9, 2027.

  • 2026 DBVF Results

    Congratulations to our 2026 DBVF Winners:

    • 1st Place Overall: Georgia Institute of Technology

    • 2nd Place Overall: The University of Akron

    • 3rd Place Overall: University of Maryland

    • Top FTR: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University — Prescott

    • Top Fly-Off Score: Georgia Institute of Technology

    2025-2026 DBVF Competition Final Scores

    A 35-point deduction was taken off from the final score for each instance:
    • Competing with a fully different aircraft than what was submitted in the FTR
    • Submitting a non-compliant FTR that required resubmission
  • DBVF 2025-2026 Participants
    Institution Team Name
    University of Akron UA VTOL
    Case Western Reserve University VTOL CWRU
    Cooper Union Air Cooper
    Embry Riddle Aeronautical University — Prescott DOLPHIN
    Florida Atlantic University Hovering Owls
    Georgia Institute of Technology DRXC
    University of Maryland AMAV
    North Carolina A&T University Aggie Vertical Flight Club
    Santa Clara University Pegasus
    Texas A&M University Texas A&M VFDT
    Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology VCAT UAV
    University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgerfly
    York College of Pennsylvania Spartan Skyforce