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Anduril Unveils AI Grand Prix, a Global Autonomous Drone Race to Hire Engineers

The contest dangles a $500,000 purse with fast-track hiring as teams pit self-flying code through a season that culminates in an Ohio final.

Overview

  • Teams build AI that flies identical Neros Technologies drones with zero human control, with performance decided by code rather than piloting.
  • The series opens with two virtual rounds in April, moves to a two-week training and physical qualifier in California in September, and concludes with a November finale near Anduril’s Arsenal-1 site in Ohio.
  • Entrants can compete solo or in teams of up to eight, all ages may participate, and under-17s require parental consent and are not eligible for post-race jobs.
  • Employment opportunities are fast-tracked but subject to legal and security vetting, Russia is excluded from entry, and applicants tied to the Chinese military would be ineligible for hiring.
  • Anduril is partnering with Drone Champions League and JobsOhio to run the event, and founder Palmer Luckey conceived the competition as a software-first test rather than a human piloting showcase.