Design/Build/Fly, or DBF, is a radio-controlled aircraft competition sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Cessna Aircraft Company, and Raytheon Missile Systems. The competition is intended to challenge the AIAA student branches of each university to design, build, and fly a remote-controlled airplane that can complete specific ground and flight missions. Additionally, the teams are required to submit a comprehensive design report detailing the most important aspects of their designs. Competition rules vary annually, switching between humanitarian and military themes. Rules typically release in late September, with the final fly-off in April. A mathematical formula outlined in the rules calculates each entry's score, which lately combines design report and performance scores from fly-off missions.

Results

Design aspects

Students are required to keep up with changing technologies and mission requirements as the aerospace industry advances. Recent mission requirements have included increased focus on fuel efficiency, environmental sustainability, and electric propulsion. Additionally, the use of advanced materials and manufacturing techniques has become more prevalent in the competition, as students look for ways to optimize their aircraft performance while keeping costs down.

List of top 5 finishes by university