The 2021-2022 Design, Build, Fly Competition will celebrate its 26th year. Started in 1996 by the AIAA Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design and Flight Test Technical Committees as an opportunity for university students to apply real-world aircraft design experience by giving them the opportunity to validate their analytic studies.

To encourage innovation and maintain a fresh design challenge for each new year’s participants, the design requirements and performance objective will be updated for each new contest year. The changes will provide new design requirements and opportunities, while allowing for application of technology developed by the teams from prior years.

Student teams will design, fabricate, and demonstrate the flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio-controlled aircraft which can best meet the specified mission profile. The goal is a balanced design possessing good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements while providing a high vehicle performance.

A maximum of 100 points will be awarded for the team design report. The overall team score is a combination of the Design Report score and Total Mission Score. The team with the highest overall team score will be declared the winner. Scores will be FINAL 7 working days after the completion of the contest. This period will allow for review of the scores in a timely fashion following the contest. All submitted reports are the property of AIAA, Textron Aviation and Raytheon Missile Systems and may be published or reproduced at their discretion.

Total Score

Each team's overall score will be computed from their Written Report Score and Total Mission Score using the following formula:

SCORE = Written Report Score * Total Mission Score

The Total Mission Score will be computed from the individual Flight Mission and Ground Mission Scores using the following formula:

Total Mission Score = M1 + M2 + M3 + GM

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.aiaa.org/dbf

Managing Organization: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Contact:

director@aiaadbf.org

Eligibility:
All team members (except for a non-student pilot) must be full time students at an accredited University or College and student members of the AIAA. At least 1/3 of the team members must consist of freshman, sophomores or juniors (below senior year, for non-four year programs). The pilot must be an AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) member. Teams may use a non-university member for the pilot if desired. We will provide qualified pilots at the contest on an as-available basis to assist teams who are unable to have their pilot attend. There is no set requirement for the number of students that must attend the fly-off. It is preferred, but not required, for the team advisor or responsible faculty member to attend. Team members may be updated/changed at any time during the contest but must always comply with the 1/3 rule. Following the initial team postings at the contest beginning we will make a “One Time” update to the team member lists posted on the website. We will notify teams when the website update change information may be sent, normally in February. Teams wishing a team member list update at that time must submit an updated copy of the contest entry form with all fields fully filled (but only the team member information may be changed).

Registration Opens: October 15, 2021

Registration Closes: October 31, 2021

The 2021-2022 Design, Build, Fly Competition will celebrate its 26th year. Started in 1996 by the AIAA Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design and Flight Test Technical Committees as an opportunity for university students to apply real-world aircraft design experience by giving them the opportunity to validate their analytic studies.

To encourage innovation and maintain a fresh design challenge for each new year’s participants, the design requirements and performance objective will be updated for each new contest year. The changes will provide new design requirements and opportunities, while allowing for application of technology developed by the teams from prior years.

Student teams will design, fabricate, and demonstrate the flight capabilities of an unmanned, electric powered, radio-controlled aircraft which can best meet the specified mission profile. The goal is a balanced design possessing good demonstrated flight handling qualities and practical and affordable manufacturing requirements while providing a high vehicle performance.

A maximum of 100 points will be awarded for the team design report. The overall team score is a combination of the Design Report score and Total Mission Score. The team with the highest overall team score will be declared the winner. Scores will be FINAL 7 working days after the completion of the contest. This period will allow for review of the scores in a timely fashion following the contest. All submitted reports are the property of AIAA, Textron Aviation and Raytheon Missile Systems and may be published or reproduced at their discretion.

Total Score

Each team's overall score will be computed from their Written Report Score and Total Mission Score using the following formula:

SCORE = Written Report Score * Total Mission Score

The Total Mission Score will be computed from the individual Flight Mission and Ground Mission Scores using the following formula:

Total Mission Score = M1 + M2 + M3 + GM

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.aiaa.org/dbf

Managing Organization: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Contact:

director@aiaadbf.org

Entry Fee:

Eligibility:
All team members (except for a non-student pilot) must be full time students at an accredited University or College and student members of the AIAA. At least 1/3 of the team members must consist of freshman, sophomores or juniors (below senior year, for non-four year programs). The pilot must be an AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) member. Teams may use a non-university member for the pilot if desired. We will provide qualified pilots at the contest on an as-available basis to assist teams who are unable to have their pilot attend. There is no set requirement for the number of students that must attend the fly-off. It is preferred, but not required, for the team advisor or responsible faculty member to attend. Team members may be updated/changed at any time during the contest but must always comply with the 1/3 rule. Following the initial team postings at the contest beginning we will make a “One Time” update to the team member lists posted on the website. We will notify teams when the website update change information may be sent, normally in February. Teams wishing a team member list update at that time must submit an updated copy of the contest entry form with all fields fully filled (but only the team member information may be changed).

Registration Opens: October 15, 2021

Registration Closes: October 31, 2021