GoAERO (Aerial Emergency Response Operations) announced today that the culminating event of its groundbreaking $2.5+ million global competition, the GoAERO Final Fly-Off, will be held at the historic Moffett Federal Airfield located at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. The competition's strategic partners include Boeing, NASA, RTX, Honeywell, and Iridium Communications.
Since launching in early 2024, GoAERO has attracted more than 200 teams comprising innovators from 85+ countries around the globe who entered this transformative competition to revolutionize emergency response by creating safe, portable, robust, autonomy-enabled aircraft that will rescue people in danger and respond to disasters wherever they are found.
"After years of preparation and innovation, we are thrilled to announce our Final Fly-Off will take place at Moffett Federal Airfield, a pinnacle of flight innovation," said GoAERO CEO Gwen Lighter. "The ingenuity and dedication from our GoAERO competitors has been truly inspiring. We're excited to see these revolutionary Emergency Response Flyers in action and witness how they will transform our ability to save lives during natural disasters, medical emergencies, and humanitarian crises."
"NASA Ames Research Center is proud to host the GoAERO Final Fly-Off at our historic Moffett Field facility," said Dr. Eugene L. Tu, Center Director at NASA Ames Research Center. "The vehicles being showcased and demonstrated at this event align perfectly with NASA's mission to pioneer the future of flight and foster technological innovations that benefit humanity. The emergency response aircraft being developed and flown at the Fly-Off represent exactly the kind of practical, life-saving applications that demonstrate how aerospace technology can directly improve life on Earth."
Dr. Parimal Kopardekar (PK), Mission Integration Manager for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Mission at NASA, added, "The GoAERO Prize exemplifies how public-private partnerships can accelerate innovation in critical areas like emergency response. These uncrewed aircraft systems will help fill crucial gaps in our disaster response capabilities, reaching people and places that have been inaccessible through conventional means. NASA is committed to supporting the safe integration of these technologies into our airspace system to create more resilient communities."
At the Fly-Off, teams will compete in three challenging missions: Productivity, Adversity, and Maneuvering. The Productivity mission tests the aircraft's ability to quickly deploy and ferry payloads. The Adversity mission evaluates performance in difficult conditions. The Maneuvering mission challenges teams to navigate around obstacles with precision. The team with the highest aggregate performance across all three missions will take home the Top Prize of $1,000,000, with $150,000 prizes available for the best performer in each mission, as well as a $100,000 Autonomy Prize and the $100,000 RTX Disruptor Prize.
GoAERO has reached this milestone through the support of its global network of sponsors and partners. Major supporters include Boeing, NASA, RTX, Honeywell, Iridium Communications, and more than 40 international aviation, aerospace, and emergency response organizations. Teams progressing to the Final Fly-Off have benefited from expert mentorship, educational resources, and access to cutting-edge technology through these partnerships.
GoAERO is still accepting new Teams to participate in the prize competition. For more information about the GoAERO Prize or to learn more about the Final Fly-Off, please visit www.GoAEROprize.com.
