Event Process
Competition Categories
Best Freestyle Build
Build with F435 AIO FC, submit over 30s freestyle DVR footage with rolls, flips & low weaving stunts.
Best Lightweight Build
Ultra-light 2-3 inch frame with F435 AIO, deliver smooth jitter-free freestyle flight footage.
Best Cinewhoop Build
Duct-protected cine drone with F435 AIO, submit cinematic smooth orbit & follow shot videos.
Best Beginner Build
Crash-resistant, easy-tune setup with high flight tolerance for new FPV pilots.
Most Creative Custom Build
Unique refit based on F435 AIO, upload custom drone photos & functional demo video.
Contest Timeline
Time Remaining Until Entry Submission Deadline (All times UTC)
| Entry Open | OPENJuly 25, 2026 (00:00 UTC) — Global Build Challenge officially opens for submissions. |
| Submission Deadline | DEADLINESeptember 20, 2026 (23:59 UTC). No entries accepted after this timestamp. |
| Judging Period | JUDGINGSeptember 20 – September 24, 2026. Official panel reviews all valid entries. |
| Winners Announcement | RESULTSeptember 25, 2026. Winners will be notified via email & shared on social media. |
Eligibility
- This contest is open to participants worldwide, with no regional restrictions.
- Employees, distributors and manufacturers of DarwinFPV are not eligible to enter the competition.
- Participants must be aged 18 or older. Entrants under 18 require consent from a legal guardian.
- All submitted builds must be equipped with the F435 15A AIO Flight Controller.
- Entries must be original work. Plagiarism, stolen footage or copied builds will result in immediate disqualification.
- One participant may submit multiple entries into different categories, but each entry must be a distinct drone build.
Prizes
1st Place (1 Winner)
F435 AIO Flight Controller + 4×1203 Motors + DarwinFPV Sticker Pack
2nd Place (2 Winners)
4×1203 Motors + DarwinFPV Sticker Pack
3rd Place (5 Winners)
50% OFF Exclusive Coupon for F435 AIO Flight Controller
All Valid Entrants
10% OFF Exclusive Coupon for F435 AIO Flight Controller
Categories are only used for entry classification. There are NO separate prizes for each individual track.
All submissions will be reviewed comprehensively across all categories to select the overall winners for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
FAQ
Yes. One participant can submit multiple entries into different categories. However, each entry must be a completely distinct drone build and cannot reuse the same work.
No, this Global Build Challenge is completely free to join for all eligible participants worldwide.
No brand-new restriction. As long as your drone is equipped with the official DarwinFPV F435 AIO Flight Controller and meets the category requirements, your entry is valid.
Yes. Our team will review your email entry and send a confirmation reply within 48 hours. If you do not receive feedback, please resubmit your entry email.
You can update your entry materials before the submission deadline (Sep 20, 2026 UTC). Please send updated files and information via the official entry email.
All entries from 5 categories will be reviewed comprehensively in one unified pool. No separate track awards. Winners are selected based on build quality, flight performance, tuning logic and creativity.
Winners will be notified via your submitted email address. Results will also be posted on DarwinFPV official social media channels.
How To Submit Your Entry
Please send your competition entry via email to info@darwinfpv.com. Copy the template below and fill in all marked required information.
Email Template
Subject: Global Build Challenge 2026 Entry - [Your Name] 1. Name 【Required】 2. Email Address 【Required】 3. Competition Category 【Required】 Please select one category from the list below: • Best Freestyle Build • Best Lightweight Build • Best Cinewhoop Build • Best Beginner-Friendly Build • Most Creative Custom Build 4. Drone Build Configuration List all drone components, confirm your drone is equipped with F435 AIO Flight Controller. Briefly describe your tuning ideas. 5. Build Inspiration & Introduction Introduce your design highlights, modification ideas or flight features. 6. Drone Photos 【Required】 Attach clear photos of your custom drone (multiple photos allowed). 7. Flight Video Link Paste your public video URL here.
I confirm all submitted content is my original work. I agree DarwinFPV can use my footage for non-commercial online promotion. I have read and accept all competition rules.
Attach your drone photos directly within the email. We will review your submission after receiving your mail.
Official Terms & Conditions
1. Contest Organizer & Acceptance
This Global Build Challenge 2026 is hosted by DarwinFPV. By submitting your entry, you fully acknowledge, understand and agree to comply with all rules stated in these Terms & Conditions. All judge decisions are final and binding. No appeal or negotiation regarding judging results will be accepted.
2. Contest Timeline (All Times UTC)
- Entry Open: July 25, 2026 00:00 UTC
- Submission Deadline: September 20, 2026 23:59 UTC. Entries received after this time will be rejected directly.
- Judging Period: September 20 – September 24, 2026
- Winners Announcement: September 25, 2026
3. Entry Requirements & Eligibility
- Participants must be aged 18 or older. Entrants under 18 require legal guardian consent.
- DarwinFPV employees, distributors, manufacturing partners and their immediate family members are not eligible to join.
- All submitted drone builds must be equipped with official DarwinFPV F435 AIO Flight Controller.
- One participant may submit multiple entries, but each entry must be a completely independent drone build.
- All entry materials (photos, flight footage, text description) must be original work created by the participant.
4. Submission Rules
- All entries must be submitted via the official entry email following the provided email template.
- Participants must complete all required information; incomplete submissions will be regarded as invalid entries.
- You may update your entry materials before the submission deadline. No revisions are accepted after the deadline.
- Do not include offensive, discriminatory, infringing or third-party copyrighted materials in your entry footage and images.
5. Copyright & Content Authorization
By submitting your entry, you grant DarwinFPV a perpetual, non-exclusive, global license to use your submitted photos, flight videos and build description for non-commercial promotional purposes, including website display, social media sharing, community showcase. DarwinFPV will not sell or license your submitted materials to third parties for commercial use without separate written consent. You confirm you own full copyright of all submitted content.
6. Judging & Prize Rules
- Five categories are only used for entry classification. No separate prizes for individual tracks. All valid entries will be reviewed comprehensively across all categories to select overall winners.
- Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash, transferred or resold to others.
- Winners will be notified via email. If a winner fails to respond within 7 working days, DarwinFPV reserves the right to select an alternative winner.
- Winners are responsible for international shipping fees. DarwinFPV will cover all related customs duties, import taxes and clearance procedures.
7. Disqualification Conditions
DarwinFPV reserves the right to disqualify participants immediately if any of the following situations occur:
- Using stolen footage, copied drone photos or plagiarized build content;
- Providing false information or cheating during evaluation;
- Violating platform rules, releasing abusive remarks or harassing judges and staff;
- Reusing the same build materials to submit multiple entries across different categories.
8. General Disclaimer
- DarwinFPV reserves the right to adjust contest schedule, modify rules or terminate the contest in advance due to force majeure.
- DarwinFPV is not responsible for lost, delayed or undelivered entry emails caused by third-party mail service failures.
- This contest is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook or any other social platform.