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Anduril Moves AI Grand Prix Into Physical Drone Qualifier With $500,000 Prize Pool and Hiring Stakes

September 25, 2026 at 14:40 EDT

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Anduril's AI Grand Prix has moved from simulation into live autonomous drone testing, with competitors from eight countries running code under pressure at the company's headquarters as the contest narrows toward its November championship in Ohio. The defense-technology company is offering a $500,000 prize pool and a potential Anduril job to the top eligible winner, turning drone racing into a skills-based test of autonomy software.

September 2026 · Anduril

AI Grand Prix reaches real flight

After virtual qualification, top autonomous-drone teams are testing code on standardized hardware with a $500,000 prize pool and a potential Anduril job at stake.

$500K

Prize pool

3,000+

Teams entered

Top 15

Physical qualifier

Countries at HQ test

Team size: individual vs maximum roster

Individual

Maximum team

Competitors can enter alone or in teams of up to eight, but every roster flies the same standardized drone hardware.

Virtual qualifier

Software races in simulation.

Physical qualifier

Code transfers to real drones.

AI Grand Prix Ohio

Finalists race for prizes and hiring stakes.

Why developers like it

Identical hardware makes the result a cleaner test of perception, planning and control.

Where limits remain

The job prize depends on work eligibility, security-clearance needs and open roles.

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