#USA #New York #Boeing #GoAERO Prize #Emergency Flyers

GoAERO Prize Announces Stage 1 Winners and Awards for Innovation in Emergency Response Flyers

In an effort to revolutionize emergency response, the GoAERO Prize has unveiled its Stage 1 winners as part of its global competition, awarding a remarkable total of $500,000 to innovative teams across the globe. Supported by industry giants such as Boeing, NASA, RTX, and Honeywell, the competition encourages the creation of cutting-edge Emergency Response Flyers designed for a variety of crisis scenarios.

Today’s announcement reveals 11 Stage 1 winners who will receive $100,000 each to further develop their life-saving aircraft. In addition, 14 teams from U.S. universities have also been granted funds, bolstered by support from NASA’s University Innovation project. This initiative reflects an increasing recognition of the need for agile and effective response solutions during natural disasters, medical emergencies, and other critical incidents.

The GoAERO Prize has already attracted a diverse pool of 198 teams from 85 countries, each tasked with engineering innovative aircraft that will be deployed in times of urgency. The objective is to design vehicles that not only assist in rescue operations but can also transport emergency medical supplies and aid humanitarian efforts in areas affected by calamities.

The List of Stage 1 Winners
The recognized teams include:
1. A2 Cal - Berkeley, California, USA
2. CraneAero - Cranfield, United Kingdom
3. Elevate - Delft, Netherlands
4. Harmony - College Station, TX and Stillwater, OK, USA
5. HORYZN - Munich, Germany
6. LIFT + UT Austin / Texas Aerial Robotics - Austin, Texas, USA
7. MOSTAVIO - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
8. MOYA AERO - Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
9. Penn State University - State College, Pennsylvania, USA
10. Tartan Air Rescue - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
11. Trek Aerospace - Folsom, California, USA

Moreover, the U.S. academic institutions that received awards include:

• - Aggie First Response, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (Greensboro, NC)
• - AirCRAFT Lab, Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO)
• - ASCEND Team, University of Texas, Austin (Austin, TX)
• - ASDL, Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
• - CPP.AERO Pegasus, California Polytechnic University, Pomona (Pomona, CA)
• - GoAERO Purdue, Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
• - Harmony, Texas A&M University & Oklahoma State University (College Station, TX and Stillwater, OK)
• - PSU Swift, Penn State University (State College, Pennsylvania)
• - Rescue Pack, North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
• - Talon Lift, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL)
• - Tartan Air Rescue, Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• - The Sloopy Works, The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
• - VSDDL, Auburn University (Leeds, AL)
• - Virginia Tech, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA)

Founded by Gwen Lighter, the GoAERO Prize aims to bridge the gap between current aircraft capabilities and the growing needs of first responders. In her words, “Every second counts in an emergency. The Emergency Response Flyers created through the GoAERO competition will give every first responder life-saving aerial capabilities.”

As natural disasters increasingly wreak havoc worldwide, the necessity for versatile and efficient airborne solutions is crucial. The design of these emergency flyers includes autonomy-enabled technologies that maximize effectiveness in critical moments, whether it’s during floods, wildfires, or complex humanitarian missions.

Future Stages of the Competition

Following this initial stage, teams will prepare for Stage 2, where they’ll present either full-scale or sub-scale models of their flyers. Up to eight teams will receive additional prizes based on their innovative designs. The competition will culminate in the GoAERO Fly-Off event, featuring real-time missions to showcase their prototypes’ capabilities. The final phase will see a distribution of an impressive $1.65 million among top-performing teams.

Join the Movement
GoAERO’s commitment extends beyond just competition; it seeks to build a collaborative network that spans across the industry, government, and first responders to ensure these life-saving technologies are effectively deployed. The GoAERO Prize serves as a beacon for engineers and innovators eager to make a significant impact in the fight against calamities through technology.

For more information about the GoAERO Prize or to apply, visit GoAEROprize.com.