The 27th Annual AIAA DBF Competition centred on electronic warfare (EW) applications. This meant that the aircraft had to be designed with payload specifications and endurance. As per the EW theme of the competition, the aircraft must also be capable of surveillance and jamming per mission requirements. 

The following constraints were enforced:

• Max shipping weight of 50lb (22.7kg) including shipping box
• 60 feet (18 meter) runway limit
• 5 minute time limit for parking to flight transition and payload installation for all missions

The competition missions were as follow:

Mission 1 – Staging Flight

• Must assemble aircraft from shipping box
• Must complete three laps
• Pass/Fail Score

Mission 2 – Surveillance Flight

• Payload of electronic package
• Fly as many laps within 10 minute
• Score is a function of weight and flight time

Mission 3 – Jamming Flight

• Payload is the Jamming Antenna
• 3 timed laps with the antenna attached
• Score is a function of jamming antenna length and lap time

Ground Mission

• Structural checks of the aircraft
• Test wing loads
• Score is a function of weights applied to aircraft and aircraft weight.