Partners With GoFly To Support $2 Million, Two-Year Incentive Competition To Develop Personal Flying Device

The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) has partnered to support GoFly, a Boeing-sponsored incentive competition that encourages innovators to create a safe and easy-to-use personal flying device.

The GoFly Prize is a $2 million, two-year international incentive competition to create a personal flying device that can be safely used by anyone, anywhere. With Boeing as a grand sponsor, The GoFly Prize competition will provide teams with expertise, mentorship, prizes, and global exposure as they compete to create a safe, ultra-compact, urban-compatible, personal flying device. The multi-phase competition encourages competitors from around the world to participate in making the dream of human flight a reality.

“AMA is excited to partner with GoFly in support of this creative initiative,” said Dave Mathewson, AMA executive director. “AMA has always supported advancements in aviation technology, and we look forward to witnessing the success of the GoFly program.”

Throughout history, model aircraft have been used to make early assessments and determine whether a full-scale aircraft is acceptable for its intended mission. The AMA continues to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs that encourage participation in aviation.

The two-year, three-phase competition, managed by GoFly with Boeing as the grand sponsor, will challenge teams to design and build a safe, quiet, ultra-compact, near-VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) personal flying device capable of flying 20 miles while carrying a single person. The challenge includes three prize levels:

• Phase 1 offers 10 prizes at $20,000 each, based on paper technical specifications.
• Phase 2 offers four prizes at $50,000 each, based on a VTOL demonstration.
• Phase 3 prizes are awarded at a final flyoff for a total of $1.6 million.

(Source: AMA news release)

FMI: www.goflyprize.com, www.modelaircraft.org