NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration have partnered to launch the 2026-2027 Design, Build, Fly (DBF) high school engineering challenge, focusing students on sustainable aviation technology. The competition theme, "Fueling Flight Design Challenge: New Energy Systems," directs participants to engineer aircraft powered by alternative energy sources rather than conventional fossil fuels.
The Design, Build, Fly program represents a direct pipeline from secondary education into aerospace engineering careers. High school teams across the United States will design, construct, and test unmanned aircraft that demonstrate innovations in electric propulsion, hydrogen fuel cells, solar integration, or hybrid energy systems. Winners advance to a national fly-off where aircraft performance determines rankings based on specific mission parameters set by NASA and FAA officials.
The competition addresses a real challenge facing the National Airspace System. As commercial and private aviation traffic intensifies, the FAA and NASA recognize that conventional combustion engines cannot sustain future demand without environmental and operational consequences. The agency partnership reflects a broader strategy within NASA's aeronautics research division to accelerate technologies that reduce aviation's carbon footprint while maintaining safety standards required for integration into the NAS.
High school competitors gain hands-on experience in systems engineering, materials selection, power system optimization, and regulatory compliance. Students must balance competing design objectives. A lighter airframe requires less energy but sacrifices payload capacity. An oversized battery pack provides range but increases weight and reduces flight efficiency. These trade-offs mirror real engineering decisions that aerospace professionals make daily at companies like Boeing, Airbus, and emerging electric aircraft startups like Bye Aerospace and Heart Aerospace.
University partners contribute technical mentorship and often provide facilities for testing and component fabrication. Aviation industry sponsors, including manufacturers and operators, review designs and provide feedback aligned with commercial certification requirements. This ecosystem connects students directly to the professionals who will hire them upon graduation.
The 2026-2027 timeline allows roughly two years for design iteration and build cycles. Teams typically spend 200 to 400 hours on a complete aircraft from concept through first flight. The compressed schedule mirrors aerospace development timelines while remaining achievable for student teams with limited budgets and access to fabrication equipment.
NASA's commitment to high school STEM outreach through engineering competitions supports the agency's long-term workforce pipeline. Aerospace engineering faces projected workforce shortages as experienced engineers retire. Competition participants often pursue engineering degrees specifically because of their DBF experience, creating a direct pathway from secondary education into positions at NASA centers, aerospace contractors, and FAA offices.
The new energy systems focus also aligns with NASA's broader climate adaptation strategy. The agency recognizes that sustainable aviation technology development requires early engagement with future engineers. By introducing high schoolers to electric propulsion, battery thermal management, and alternative fuel handling during the formative years of their technical education, NASA increases the likelihood that the next generation of aerospace engineers will prioritize sustainability from the outset of their careers.
Teams interested in competing should contact their schools' science and engineering departments or visit the official DBF website for registration details and complete technical rules. Competition materials, design templates, and past challenge documents provide starting points for teams preparing submissions for the 2026-2027 season.