AIR CARGO CHALLENGE
The Air Cargo Challenge (ACC) is a biennial aeronautical engineering competition held in Europe, bringing together university students from across the continent to showcase their technical skills and creativity.
First launched in 2003 by a group of aerospace engineering students in Lisbon, the competition is mainly aimed at students in aeronautical and aerospace engineering. It shares the same spirit as the American Design/Build/Fly contest, offering a platform for practical learning and international collaboration.
At the core of the ACC lies a demanding engineering challenge: designing and building a radio-controlled aircraft capable of carrying the maximum useful payload, in compliance with a set of rules that change with each edition. Teams are evaluated not only on flight performance but also on the technical quality of their project, demonstrated through detailed reports and technical drawings.
The inaugural event, ACC’03, was organized by APAE (Portuguese Association of Aeronautics and Space) at the Instituto Superior Técnico of Lisbon. Starting with ACC’07, the competition expanded internationally under the coordination of EUROAVIA, the European Association of Aerospace Engineering Students. A unique tradition of the ACC is that the winning team earns the right to host the next edition.
The Air Cargo Challenge continues to inspire the next generation of aerospace engineers, promoting innovation, teamwork, and international exchange.
AIR CARGO CHALLENGE 2026
The next edition of the Air Cargo Challenge will be held in Stuttgart, Germany. Technical presentations and inspections will take place on the campus of the University of Stuttgart in Vaihingen, while the flight competition will be hosted at the MFV Böblingen airfield, providing an ideal setting for high-performance demonstrations.
For ACC 2026, the competition will return to its well-established format, refined over years of experience, but with an exciting new challenge that promises to push teams from around the world toward new and innovative achievements.
OUR RESULTS
AIR CARGO CHALLENGE 2019
OUR FIRST COMPETITION EXPERIENCE
In August 2019 we took part in our very first competition, facing teams from all over the world.
Our work was aimed at participating in the Air Cargo Challenge, an international competition where university teams from around the globe put their projects to the test.
Each project is evaluated through multiple stages, which include not only the results obtained during the competition but also an assessment of the technical design, summarized in a report submitted to the jury.
The competition itself consisted of flying the model aircraft along a 1 km route while carrying the maximum possible payload in the shortest time. Other aspects were also evaluated, such as payload prediction and loading speed inside the aircraft.
PRESENTATION
Another major commitment of the first competition day was the presentation of our work in front of the judges and representatives of all other teams.
TECHNICAL INSPECTION
The real challenge began here, when our aircraft was examined in all its parts to verify compliance with the project and with all requirements imposed by the regulations.
It was the first thrill of our adventure in the competition.
FLIGHT FIELD
The following days were filled with actual competition sessions, held at a beautiful airfield just outside Stuttgart surrounded by greenery. Despite the difficulties posed by bad weather and strong winds, Marcoplano fought with honor throughout all the flights of the competition.
THE RESULT
At the end of the competition days, the final ranking was announced. It considered all scores achieved by the aircraft, including technical evaluations and race results.
In our debut participation, we ranked 8th out of nearly thirty teams.
PLACE
OUT OF 30 TEAMS
AIR CARGO CHALLENGE 2022
Kowalsky
In 2022, the Lift UP team competed in the Air Cargo Challenge with the aircraft Kowalsky, tackling a particularly meaningful mission: transporting simulated blood bags, a task designed to test not only the aerodynamic and structural efficiency of the aircraft but also the team’s ability to handle realistic and complex scenarios.
The competition became even more challenging due to an unexpected last-minute change: the initially designated airfield was not made available, forcing the teams to quickly reorganize and adapt to new operating conditions. In this context, the resilience of the team and the design flexibility of Kowalsky played a key role.
THE RESULT
Despite the challenges, the aircraft proved reliable and high-performing, achieving an excellent 6th place. This marked a step forward compared to previous editions, highlighting clear technical growth and group maturity.
Every aspect – from technical preparation to in-flight emergency management – contributed to strengthening the team’s skills. The difficulties encountered were not a limitation, but rather an opportunity to improve, innovate, and strengthen the team spirit.
PLACE
oUT OF 30 tEAMS
AIR CARGO CHALLENGE 2024
zephira
In 2024, the Lift UP team participated in the Air Cargo Challenge with the aircraft Zephira, facing one of the toughest editions of the competition due to particularly prohibitive weather conditions. Heavy rain, strong winds, and sudden atmospheric changes made flight operations far more complex than expected, testing the resilience and reliability of every project.
Despite these challenges, Zephira showcased the strength of the team’s work. With its V-tail configuration and an innovative airless wheel landing gear, the aircraft maintained stability and reliability under extreme conditions, successfully completing the trials and carrying a load equal to its own weight. This technical achievement confirmed the effectiveness of its design and the quality of its construction, made entirely of carbon and fiberglass for lightness and strength.
THE RESULT
The final placement was 10th place, but the value of this experience goes well beyond the ranking. Every difficulty faced in competition represented an opportunity for growth: the team strengthened its technical skills, consolidated its team spirit, and developed greater awareness of its own potential.
The Air Cargo Challenge 2024 with Zephira was not just a competition, but a milestone in the group’s development: a demonstration of resilience, commitment, and passion that laid the foundation to face upcoming challenges with even greater determination and ambition.