Projects & Missions

From CAD to maiden flight, all our builds in one place.

Follow the fleet: fixed-wing racers, mapping rigs, VTOL experiments, and the open source tools that keep them flying. Pick a mission and contribute.

1
Active programs
21
Active contributors

Projects overview

The full project slate

Each program has a clear focus, timeline, and phase so new members can land where they fit best.

Timeline

What happens next

Scroll through the upcoming milestones and see where every project ships value.

January 2026

Interviews

We're interviewing new candidates to join Lift for the spring semester.

February 2026

Project kickoff

Kickoff of the Queen Bee project for the spring semester. Starting with planning and brainstorming sessions to define the project scope and architecture.

March 2026

First 3D model is printed!

The first 3D printed components of the Queen Bee airframe are ready.

Late March 2026

Assembly begins

The assembly of the first Queen Bee prototype begins, starting with the airframe and basic avionics integration.

Early April 2026

First flight tests

The first flight tests of the Queen Bee prototype are scheduled to begin.

Late April 2026

Extensive testing and iteration

Based on the results from the initial flight tests, we will iterate on the design and conduct extensive testing to refine the Queen Bee.