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DARPA’s Lift Challenge has concluded, testing ultra-lightweight drones designed to carry heavy payloads. Teams competed for $6.5 million by flying drones weighing under 55 pounds while carrying at least 110 pounds. The challenge pushed the limits of heavy-lift drone technology.

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50,864 views • 6 days ago •via X (Twitter)

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For the DARPA Lift Challenge, teams designed new drones weighing 55 lbs. (or less) hoping to carry more payload than ever thought possible. And you can watch them compete this Aug. 6-9 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

For the DARPA Lift Challenge, teams designed new drones weighing 55 lbs. (or less) hoping to carry more payload than ever thought possible. And you can watch them compete this Aug. 6-9 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

DARPA

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INDIAN deep-tech showing crazy results 🔥 India's first indigenous tandem-rotor logistics drone SABAL capable of carrying 10–20 kg payloads for high-altitude military logistics. Recently EndureAir has raised about $3 million to develop a 200 kg payload-class heavy-lift drone.

INDIAN deep-tech showing crazy results 🔥 India's first indigenous tandem-rotor logistics drone SABAL capable of carrying 10–20 kg payloads for high-altitude military logistics. Recently EndureAir has raised about $3 million to develop a 200 kg payload-class heavy-lift drone.

Max 🚀

18,711 views • 1 month ago

Drones saving drones: The ground logistics drone «Volia» came under attack by a Russian FPV while carrying out a mission. A ground drone «Targan» was dispatched for the rescue operation and successfully recovered its colleague. «Volia» has since returned to service.

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Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦

36,267 views • 6 months ago

BREAKING: Avidrone Aerospace has secured 1st place in the DARPA Lift Challenge. Avidrone achieved a 3.84:1 payload-to-aircraft-weight ratio using a 29.3-pound drone. DARPA set the goal at a 4:1 ratio: a drone carrying four times its own weight, a level DARPA described as unprecedented. Founded in 2007, Avidrone Aerospace is based in Ontario, Canada, with a U.S. presence in Columbia, Maryland. The company develops cargo drones for contested defense logistics and commercial applications including offshore oil and gas. Second Place: MTech Operations, an MIT team, achieved a 3.64:1 ratio using a 32.1-pound drone. Third Place: Xtreme Aerial Concepts achieved a 3.45:1 ratio using a 54.9-pound drone. More than 120 teams were selected to compete in the heavy-lift drone challenge, with $6.5M in prize money. Video Source: DARPA

BREAKING: Avidrone Aerospace has secured 1st place in the DARPA Lift Challenge. Avidrone achieved a 3.84:1 payload-to-aircraft-weight ratio using a 29.3-pound drone. DARPA set the goal at a 4:1 ratio: a drone carrying four times its own weight, a level DARPA described as unprecedented. Founded in 2007, Avidrone Aerospace is based in Ontario, Canada, with a U.S. presence in Columbia, Maryland. The company develops cargo drones for contested defense logistics and commercial applications including offshore oil and gas. Second Place: MTech Operations, an MIT team, achieved a 3.64:1 ratio using a 32.1-pound drone. Third Place: Xtreme Aerial Concepts achieved a 3.45:1 ratio using a 54.9-pound drone. More than 120 teams were selected to compete in the heavy-lift drone challenge, with $6.5M in prize money. Video Source: DARPA

Atoms Not Bits

238,091 views • 6 days ago

That robot knows 3D printing! 🧱 A team of researchers at Imperial College London has developed a method where multiple drones work together to 3D print towers using foam and lightweight cement. The process involves one drone depositing the material while the other checks the accuracy of the structure, with humans monitoring the operation. The team demonstrated the drones' capability to construct structures up to 2.05 meters high and simulated building a tall dome-like structure. The method has the potential to be used in remote locations or for post-disaster reconstruction however, it currently has limitations, such as difficulty carrying heavy loads, the need for regular charging, and human supervision. What would you build with the help of that drone ;)?

That robot knows 3D printing! 🧱 A team of researchers at Imperial College London has developed a method where multiple drones work together to 3D print towers using foam and lightweight cement. The process involves one drone depositing the material while the other checks the accuracy of the structure, with humans monitoring the operation. The team demonstrated the drones' capability to construct structures up to 2.05 meters high and simulated building a tall dome-like structure. The method has the potential to be used in remote locations or for post-disaster reconstruction however, it currently has limitations, such as difficulty carrying heavy loads, the need for regular charging, and human supervision. What would you build with the help of that drone ;)?

Lukas Ziegler

27,984 views • 1 year ago

Ukrainian Defenders from the 1st Tank Battalion of 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade, thanks to coordinated actions, managed to evacuate a Ukrainian Leopard 1A5 tank, damaged by Russian drones, while under enemy fire. According to the battalion, the tank has already been brought back into service. Glory! 📹: 1st Tank Battalion of 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade/Facebook

Ukrainian Defenders from the 1st Tank Battalion of 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade, thanks to coordinated actions, managed to evacuate a Ukrainian Leopard 1A5 tank, damaged by Russian drones, while under enemy fire. According to the battalion, the tank has already been brought back into service. Glory! 📹: 1st Tank Battalion of 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade/Facebook

Anton Gerashchenko

17,287 views • 6 months ago

NEW: Airbound is building 5-minute drone delivery across India. The Bangalore startup is building ultra-light autonomous drones to move medicine, lab samples, and small packages faster than scooters in traffic. • Raised $8.65M led by Lachy Groom • Drone weighs ~5.5 pounds and can carry ~2 pound payloads • Flies up to ~25 miles at ~40 mph • Completed 700+ medical delivery flights between clinics and labs • Planning up to 10,000 drone flights per day in Andhra Pradesh Airbound is targeting delivery costs as low as $0.01 at scale.

NEW: Airbound is building 5-minute drone delivery across India. The Bangalore startup is building ultra-light autonomous drones to move medicine, lab samples, and small packages faster than scooters in traffic. • Raised $8.65M led by Lachy Groom • Drone weighs ~5.5 pounds and can carry ~2 pound payloads • Flies up to ~25 miles at ~40 mph • Completed 700+ medical delivery flights between clinics and labs • Planning up to 10,000 drone flights per day in Andhra Pradesh Airbound is targeting delivery costs as low as $0.01 at scale.

Ritwik Pavan

41,819 views • 1 month ago

This is what technological diffusion looks like in China. In Hebei, two heavy-lift drones are being used in tandem to carry tower materials for a 220 kV power transmission line project through complex mountain terrain. Each drone can lift 325 kg. Together, 650 kg. Hundreds of tons of materials can be delivered to mountain construction sites in a single day. The point is not just drones. The point is that advanced tools are no longer trapped in showcase cities or elite industries. They are entering power grids. Mountains. Construction sites. Ecologically fragile areas. Ordinary infrastructure work. This is how China upgrades itself: not by turning technology into luxury, but by turning it into productivity. Even in remote, difficult terrain, engineering keeps moving. Drones fly. Workers build. The grid expands. The country becomes more connected.

This is what technological diffusion looks like in China. In Hebei, two heavy-lift drones are being used in tandem to carry tower materials for a 220 kV power transmission line project through complex mountain terrain. Each drone can lift 325 kg. Together, 650 kg. Hundreds of tons of materials can be delivered to mountain construction sites in a single day. The point is not just drones. The point is that advanced tools are no longer trapped in showcase cities or elite industries. They are entering power grids. Mountains. Construction sites. Ecologically fragile areas. Ordinary infrastructure work. This is how China upgrades itself: not by turning technology into luxury, but by turning it into productivity. Even in remote, difficult terrain, engineering keeps moving. Drones fly. Workers build. The grid expands. The country becomes more connected.

𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦

11,340 views • 2 months ago

the vibes from the DARPA heavy lift drone competition are immaculate. great commentary, strange machines, ambitious teams, and everyone seems to be having an absurd amount of fun. between this and the humanoid half marathon in china, i think we're going to see a lot more of these public engineering challenges. i've always dreamed of starting an XPRIZE / Grand Challenge. maybe the world is finally ready for the olympics of machines.

the vibes from the DARPA heavy lift drone competition are immaculate. great commentary, strange machines, ambitious teams, and everyone seems to be having an absurd amount of fun. between this and the humanoid half marathon in china, i think we're going to see a lot more of these public engineering challenges. i've always dreamed of starting an XPRIZE / Grand Challenge. maybe the world is finally ready for the olympics of machines.

Andrew McCalip

20,318 views • 8 days ago

Starship V3’s Super Heavy booster unleashes nearly 20 million pounds of thrust That is enough raw force to literally lift the Eiffel Tower’s entire 7,300-ton iron structure off the ground Just imagine the scale of that A single rocket booster producing more upward force than the weight of the Eiffel Tower’s entire structure SpaceX is building the most insanely powerful rocket humanity has ever created

Starship V3’s Super Heavy booster unleashes nearly 20 million pounds of thrust That is enough raw force to literally lift the Eiffel Tower’s entire 7,300-ton iron structure off the ground Just imagine the scale of that A single rocket booster producing more upward force than the weight of the Eiffel Tower’s entire structure SpaceX is building the most insanely powerful rocket humanity has ever created

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GST Reforms for Promoting Drone Technology ✦ #GST on unmanned aircrafts (drones) has been significantly reduced from the earlier 18% / 28% to a uniform 5% rate ✦ This rationalization aims to encourage wider adoption of drones across sectors while also boosting domestic manufacturing under the Make in India and #AtmanirbharBharat initiatives Watch: #NextGenGST #GSTReforms Ministry of Finance Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

GST Reforms for Promoting Drone Technology ✦ #GST on unmanned aircrafts (drones) has been significantly reduced from the earlier 18% / 28% to a uniform 5% rate ✦ This rationalization aims to encourage wider adoption of drones across sectors while also boosting domestic manufacturing under the Make in India and #AtmanirbharBharat initiatives Watch: #NextGenGST #GSTReforms Ministry of Finance Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

PIB India

16,457 views • 10 months ago

He quit his PhD at IIT Kanpur... (To build drones for Indian Army) Meet Rama Krishna, Founder & CEO of Endureair > Dropped out to solve actual battlefield problems > Crafting long-endurance UAVs that serve the Indian Army in toughest terrains > SABAL for heavy-lift & VIBHRAM for surveillance Not everyone plays it safe. Some build for the nation

He quit his PhD at IIT Kanpur... (To build drones for Indian Army) Meet Rama Krishna, Founder & CEO of Endureair > Dropped out to solve actual battlefield problems > Crafting long-endurance UAVs that serve the Indian Army in toughest terrains > SABAL for heavy-lift & VIBHRAM for surveillance Not everyone plays it safe. Some build for the nation

The Rocket Media

36,420 views • 4 months ago

You probably don't realize how common drones have become in China. For many people here, drones are already part of everyday life. Farmers use them to spray crops. Firefighters use them for rescue operations and firefighting. Construction teams use them on job sites. They also deliver packages, clean high-rise buildings, inspect infrastructure, and carry out aerial surveying. Behind these everyday scenes is one of the world's largest drone industries. According to industry statistics, China produces more than 40 million drones every year. Around 18 million are consumer drones, about 14 million are industrial drones used for agriculture, infrastructure inspection, surveying, logistics, and FPV applications, while approximately 4.5 million are exported worldwide.

You probably don't realize how common drones have become in China. For many people here, drones are already part of everyday life. Farmers use them to spray crops. Firefighters use them for rescue operations and firefighting. Construction teams use them on job sites. They also deliver packages, clean high-rise buildings, inspect infrastructure, and carry out aerial surveying. Behind these everyday scenes is one of the world's largest drone industries. According to industry statistics, China produces more than 40 million drones every year. Around 18 million are consumer drones, about 14 million are industrial drones used for agriculture, infrastructure inspection, surveying, logistics, and FPV applications, while approximately 4.5 million are exported worldwide.

Johannes Maria

14,835 views • 1 month ago

The worms will do anything to avoid becoming Yoblyks. One of their biggest inventions is the “Mangals” (grill-like shields) – peculiar cages and add-ons attached to heavy vehicles designed to confuse drones. Drone warfare has become a kind of post-apocalyptic steampunk. The worms hide their equipment deep in the woods, concealed under branches and between trees. However, we are able to locate them even in the dark.

The worms will do anything to avoid becoming Yoblyks. One of their biggest inventions is the “Mangals” (grill-like shields) – peculiar cages and add-ons attached to heavy vehicles designed to confuse drones. Drone warfare has become a kind of post-apocalyptic steampunk. The worms hide their equipment deep in the woods, concealed under branches and between trees. However, we are able to locate them even in the dark.

414 Magyar's Birds

18,445 views • 1 year ago

NEW: Amazon begins drone delivery in the Dallas, Texas area, some residents say the buzzing is driving them nuts. One man, who spoke with the Dallas Observer, says the drones are flying over his house throughout the day, calling the high-pitched noise "annoying." He did admit, however, that he has used the delivery service, calling it "pretty cool." The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds and can deliver them to locations within about an 8-mile radius of the Richardson Amazon facility. Prime members pay just $4.99 for the deliveries, which can arrive in about 30 minutes.

NEW: Amazon begins drone delivery in the Dallas, Texas area, some residents say the buzzing is driving them nuts. One man, who spoke with the Dallas Observer, says the drones are flying over his house throughout the day, calling the high-pitched noise "annoying." He did admit, however, that he has used the delivery service, calling it "pretty cool." The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds and can deliver them to locations within about an 8-mile radius of the Richardson Amazon facility. Prime members pay just $4.99 for the deliveries, which can arrive in about 30 minutes.

Collin Rugg

1,439,605 views • 7 months ago

The Saudi-backed Yemen Emergency Forces (YEF), First Division, was observed operating a VTOL drone with a distinctive design while conducting ISR operations along the Mukalla–Sayoun highway in Hadramawt. The aircraft features a unique airframe, including a downward-pointing rear fin and no rear pusher propeller, relying instead on four quad-rotors for lift and propulsion. It is equipped with an internal bay capable of carrying and deploying munitions, as well as a gimbal-mounted camera. This configuration closely resembles the YANGDA Sky Whale Max Electric Heavy Lift Long Endurance VTOL Drone. At a time when the internationally recognized government of Yemen has lagged behind Iranian-backed Houthi forces in drone technology, the appearance of such a platform is a welcome development.

The Saudi-backed Yemen Emergency Forces (YEF), First Division, was observed operating a VTOL drone with a distinctive design while conducting ISR operations along the Mukalla–Sayoun highway in Hadramawt. The aircraft features a unique airframe, including a downward-pointing rear fin and no rear pusher propeller, relying instead on four quad-rotors for lift and propulsion. It is equipped with an internal bay capable of carrying and deploying munitions, as well as a gimbal-mounted camera. This configuration closely resembles the YANGDA Sky Whale Max Electric Heavy Lift Long Endurance VTOL Drone. At a time when the internationally recognized government of Yemen has lagged behind Iranian-backed Houthi forces in drone technology, the appearance of such a platform is a welcome development.

Basha باشا

46,172 views • 7 months ago

DJI launches a cargo drone! 🚁 DJI just released the Flycart 200 with 200 kg load capacity and 36 km range. Interestingly, four aircraft operating together can lift up 600 kg. That's a heavy lifting player in the flying robots space. Maintains 200 kg at 3,000m altitude with no load shedding. At 6,000m still carries 140kg. One operator controls up to four drones in formation and is capable of one-click intelligent formation. DJI also released the T200 agricultural drone with 360 kg payload. As of April 2026, DJI drones completed over 180 million flights in China, transporting 11.5 million tons of materials. This payload enables construction materials, emergency supplies, and agricultural transport. Four-drone 600kg capacity competes with ground vehicles where terrain makes traditional transport difficult. 📦 ~~ ♻️ Join the weekly robotics newsletter, and never miss any news →

DJI launches a cargo drone! 🚁 DJI just released the Flycart 200 with 200 kg load capacity and 36 km range. Interestingly, four aircraft operating together can lift up 600 kg. That's a heavy lifting player in the flying robots space. Maintains 200 kg at 3,000m altitude with no load shedding. At 6,000m still carries 140kg. One operator controls up to four drones in formation and is capable of one-click intelligent formation. DJI also released the T200 agricultural drone with 360 kg payload. As of April 2026, DJI drones completed over 180 million flights in China, transporting 11.5 million tons of materials. This payload enables construction materials, emergency supplies, and agricultural transport. Four-drone 600kg capacity competes with ground vehicles where terrain makes traditional transport difficult. 📦 ~~ ♻️ Join the weekly robotics newsletter, and never miss any news →

Lukas Ziegler

30,275 views • 3 months ago

HEAVY lift Drone for multiple Useage for the Military at the Sukhoi Design Bureau The product is being developed as part of the National Project "Unmanned Aerial Systems". 📦 The "BTS VAB S-76" is the first Heavy Lift transport UAS in Russia for cargo transportation with a maximum takeoff weight of over 1500 kg undergoing certification by Rosaviatsiya. 1. Can bring up to 6 men with munitions at high speed to direct combat locations 2. Vehicles such as motorbikes and electric units 3. Munitions and Medicines plus any telecom units and radar materials 4. Evacuation of multiple wounded soldiers The Battlefield changes

HEAVY lift Drone for multiple Useage for the Military at the Sukhoi Design Bureau The product is being developed as part of the National Project "Unmanned Aerial Systems". 📦 The "BTS VAB S-76" is the first Heavy Lift transport UAS in Russia for cargo transportation with a maximum takeoff weight of over 1500 kg undergoing certification by Rosaviatsiya. 1. Can bring up to 6 men with munitions at high speed to direct combat locations 2. Vehicles such as motorbikes and electric units 3. Munitions and Medicines plus any telecom units and radar materials 4. Evacuation of multiple wounded soldiers The Battlefield changes

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺 🇷🇺

39,347 views • 9 months ago