NASA Student Aviation Challenge Focuses on Nation’s Infrastructure

The competition focuses on a pressing national challenge: aging and expanding infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, highways, railways, and electric grids is hard to inspect safely and efficiently. Current methods can require disruptive shutdowns, extreme heights, confined spaces, or hazardous environments, all of which limit how often checks are done.

NASA is inviting multidisciplinary teams of two to six college students to propose airborne platforms that could transform infrastructure inspections by 2035 or sooner. Teams submit a written proposal and a two-minute video in Phase 1; up to eight finalists each receive $9,000 and advance to Phase 2, where they present their ideas to NASA and industry experts at a May 2027 forum. Winners are offered a NASA Aeronautics internship the following academic year.

Interested teams should review the competition website for guidelines and eligibility, and are encouraged to file a non-binding Notice of Intent by October 12, with final proposals and videos due February 22, 2027. The competition is run by NASA’s Aeronautics Division and managed by the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation.