Team LiftUP placed fifth in the Air Cargo Challenge 2026

The Team LiftUP of the University of Padua achieved fifth place at the Air Cargo Challenge 2026, the international university aeronautical engineering competition dedicated to fixed-wing radio-controlled drones. In its fourth participation, the team achieved the best placing in its history, finishing fifth out of 34 teams from around the world.

The 2026 edition of the competition took place in Stoccarda, the city of the team that won the previous edition, and saw students compete in the design, construction, and testing of aircraft capable of carrying the greatest payload in the shortest possible time.

Competing with number 10, LiftUP presented Midnight, the prototype developed specifically for this edition's regulations. The drone is made entirely of carbon-fiber composite material, features a twin-propeller configuration with electric propulsion, and incorporates numerous innovative solutions, from control electronics to retractable landing gear.

Midnight's performance confirmed the soundness of the team's design and construction choices, enabling LiftUP to stand out in a competition with a particularly high technical level. The result represents an important recognition of the work of more than 100 students from different departments of the University, involved in the design, development, and construction of the aircraft.

Having successfully concluded the 2026 edition, Team LiftUP is already looking ahead to the next challenge, the Air Cargo Challenge 2028, continuing a growth path that confirms the educational value of the project. A path made possible also thanks to the constant support of the University and the Department of Industrial Engineering, which have supported its development for almost ten years.