Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

This summer, BYOB — Bring Your Own Binoculars — to the DARPA Lift Challenge, a national competition to reinvent vertical and heavy-lift aviation! Join us Aug. 6-9, 2026, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to watch competitors demonstrate novel drone designs that are both lightweight and powerful. After months of development, teams representing established companies, startups, universities, and garage-innovators will assemble for a “chase the leader” competition. Drones weighing no more than 55 pounds will attempt to carry four times their weight (220 pounds) or more over a demanding 5-nautical-mile course. Those with the highest payload-to-weight ratios and novel designs will win $6.5 million in prizes. This free outdoor event is open to the public and is co-located with Flite Fest, a family-friendly festival that features DIY drone projects, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, and RC aerial combats. Register today to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/eDqAcx_K #DARPALiftChallenge

Blood refrigeration drastically limits trauma care. We are changing that. 🩸 Building on our FSHARP breakthroughs, DARPA’s RAPIID program is moving synthetic blood out of the lab and scaling it for FDA approval. The vision: A safe, shelf-stable blood analog that fits in a combat medic's pack or rural ambulance ready to reconstitute and save a life. A successful artificial whole-blood equivalent won't just revolutionize combat medicine, it will transform disaster response and help to permanently bypass blood shortage crises. Read more: https://lnkd.in/en3x2TSN

Increasing the domestic supply of strategic materials is essential for U.S. national and economic security. 🛡️ To address this, we have entered into an agreement with the state of Utah, through the University of Utah, to establish the Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Test Bed (SMART). The test bed expands the U.S. government’s ability to evaluate emerging technologies, with our Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (EMBER) program among the first to leverage the site. Teams will use SMART to scale the processing of strategic minerals and bolster domestic supply chains. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ePBJMzGT

Researchers at Northwestern University working on our Mechanically Interlocked Materials (MIMs) program have successfully scaled the synthesis of 2D mechanically interlocked polymers from mere milligrams to over 500 grams. By unlocking bulk production of these highly durable, fatigue-resistant materials, we are moving them from small-scale lab curiosities to mission-ready architectures for advanced applications. Read the full findings in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eKjbfj2x

New names. Enduring mission. Future focus. DARPA’s I2O is returning to IPTO, honoring its legacy of catalyzing the infrastructure of the modern digital world. MTO evolves into the Multi X Office (MXO), expanding its remit beyond traditional microsystems and individual components into integrated capabilities. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e9_sSvgq

The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program is set to launch in summer 2026. 🚀 Pictured here is the fully integrated Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV), featuring DARPA's highly dexterous robotic payload mated to SpaceLogistics' spacecraft. The RSGS Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) is built to handle the unique challenges of geosynchronous orbit (GEO), where hundreds of satellites operate. It comes with a flexible robotic servicing suite that can perform complex tasks in space, including upgrades, inspections, problem resolution, and satellite relocation. In collaboration with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and SpaceLogistics (a Northrop Grumman company), RSGS aims to transition the space sector to a sustainable, upgradable, and resilient infrastructure. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epbGUUTU

How do we push the limits of medical simulation? The Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is seeking input from industry, military, and civilian emergency responders on how to plan, execute, and assess high-fidelity mass casualty (MASCAL) training events. This Request for Information (RFI) is a preliminary step to assess current capabilities to conduct realistic MASCAL simulations involving greater than 50, 100, or 200 simulated patients within a single event lasting less than 72 hours. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ecTHmpAS 📸 Sgt. Matthew Lucibello, U.S. Army | 130th Public Affairs Detachment

What if the advantage isn’t in the parts, but in how everything connects? A new chapter is taking shape. Keep your eyes and ears open. Subscribe to the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) newsletter: https://lnkd.in/epunNP2H

Round 1 results are officially in for the DARPA Bio Attribution Challenge! 🎉 We are thrilled to announce the top performers in the detection phase, who successfully identified and characterized pathogens within complex environmental samples: 🏆 First: Team Crits-Christoph & Hakim 🥈 Second: Treangen Lab, Rice University 🥉 Third: Pastor21 AI Inc. Congratulations to these teams for their groundbreaking work in enhancing national security and public health. We look forward to seeing what the attribution phase brings! Learn more and view the full leaderboard: https://lnkd.in/eCrv8Kmw

In collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory and Northrop Grumman, we flew the XRQ-73, a hybrid-electric, unmanned experimental aircraft. ✈️⚡️ The flight occurred at the 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in April 2026 as part of DARPA’s Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) program. This flight is a step forward in demonstrating the military utility of hybrid-electric propulsion. Hybrid-electric propulsion architectures will drive the development of revolutionary new aircraft designs by offering a combination of fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and enhanced operational flexibility. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/diWAW5xy