Anduril AI Grand Prix (AI Grand Prix Season 1)

About

Anduril's global autonomous drone-racing challenge asks individuals and teams to develop software that pilots standardized Neros drones through virtual qualifiers and a live championship, with a $500,000 prize pool and an Anduril employment pathway.

Benefits

• 💰$500,000 prize pool
  A prize pool of $500,000 will be split among the highest-scoring teams at the AI Grand Prix Ohio, with the allotment to be finalized and the Official Rules updated before the physical qualifier
• 🏆Top-10 cash prize
  The top 10 performing teams at the AI Grand Prix Ohio are guaranteed a cash prize of at least $5,000
• 💼Anduril employment pathway
  The highest-scoring participant, or one eligible member of the highest-scoring team, is eligible to receive an offer of employment with Anduril; the member must be at least 18 and may need to meet additional requirements, including U.S. security clearance, working from an Anduril office, relocation, and, for non-U.S. persons, an open business-critical role in their country of citizenship
• 💵Cash alternative to the job offer
  If the eligible member declines or is not eligible for the Anduril job offer, they receive an additional $10,000 in prize funds per team member, up to 8 members; minors automatically receive the additional $10,000
• 🎓Internship and entry-level screening
  Top university performers who reach the physical qualifier stage in Southern California will be screened in person for potential internship and full-time entry-level roles at Anduril

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to individuals, university teams, research organizations, and independent engineers worldwide
• Teams may have up to 8 members; the team leader registers initially and additional team-member information is collected post-registration
• Participants may compete individually or on only one team; participating on more than one team or both individually and on a team is grounds for disqualification
• No professional credentials or certifications are required
• All ages may register, but a parent or guardian must register any participant under 14; written parental consent and age verification are required for all minors before competing
• Every participant below 25 must provide proof of age during in-person registration for the physical qualifier and AI Grand Prix Ohio
• All participants must provide proof of country of citizenship before participating in the in-person physical qualifier
• Citizens of the Russian Federation are prohibited from being participants or spectators
• Employees of Anduril, DCL, or Neros are not eligible to participate or win
• For the Anduril employment benefit, the selected team member must be at least 18 and may need to satisfy additional requirements, including eligibility to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance, work from an Anduril office, and relocation; non-U.S. persons need a business-critical role open in their country of citizenship

Participation Commitments

• Register through the official AI Grand Prix page; for teams the team leader should register at this stage, with additional team-member information collected post-registration
• No registration fee is charged
• Each participating team is responsible for covering its own expenses related to the AI Grand Prix, including travel, accommodations, and any additional costs incurred
• Teams may have up to 8 members and may not participate individually and on a team or on more than one team
• Teams must use the identical standardized Neros drones supplied by the AI Grand Prix and may not make hardware modifications
• No human pilots are allowed; the drone must fly autonomously, and using connectivity to pilot the drone would result in disqualification
• The virtual qualifier uses custom Python-based AI algorithms submitted into a DCL-built platform; selected teams advance to an in-person physical qualifier
• Participants must comply with the Official Rules and Code of Conduct, including good sportsmanship and respectful conduct
• Participants must provide proof of age for those below 25 at in-person registration and proof of country of citizenship before the in-person physical qualifier
• Participants are responsible for maintaining any necessary insurance coverage to adequately mitigate risks associated with the Competition
• Participants must disclose in writing any FLOSS and generative AI tools used in developing their Entry, and grant the AI Grand Prix and Founding Partners permission to use the Entry for operating, monitoring, and judging the competition through the 2026 closeout
• Virtual qualification phase is scheduled in spring 2026, with official FAQ pages describing April-June and May-July windows in different places
• The physical qualifier is scheduled for September 2026 in Southern California
• The Season 1 championship is scheduled for 11 December 2026 at Anduril's Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio; earlier launch materials stated November 2026 in Columbus, Ohio

Target Region

Open worldwide to individuals and teams, including university teams and independent engineers; citizens of the Russian Federation are prohibited from being participants or spectators. In-person participants must provide proof of country of citizenship before the physical qualifier.

Target Sector

Sports & Fitness