Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (CA-AI), within the College of Engineering and Computer Science, achieved a 2.16-1 payload-to-weight ratio at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Lift Challenge, making the FAU CA-AI Hovering Owls one of only two university teams to demonstrate a ratio above 2-1 by the end of the competition. Held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the DARPA Lift Challenge challenged teams to significantly increase the amount of payload a vertical-lift aircraft can carry relative to its own weight. Out of 489 total applications, 132 teams were invited to compete, and 76 advanced to the on-site check-in, weigh-in and aircraft inspection process. The FAU CA-AI Hovering Owls were among 62 teams to clear all required safety checks and complete a qualifying run. Their 52-pound autonomous aircraft successfully lifted 112 pounds, demonstrating a 2.16-1 payload-to-weight ratio. Only five teams, all from industry, went on to complete a scored run. “FAU CA-AI’s performance at the DARPA Lift Challenge speaks to the caliber of our students, faculty and research in autonomous systems,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.