Human-Powered Flying Machines Take Over Minneapolis at Red Bull Flugtag

On Saturday, September 26, Red Bull Flugtag returned to Minneapolis, bringing homemade, human-powered aircraft to Bohemian Flats Park. Teams launched their creative creations into the air, competing on distance, creativity and showmanship. The event also featured Minnesota-inspired designs, live entertainment and plenty of high-flying fun.

Nearly 40 competitors hurled homemade, human-powered flying machines from a 25- plus-foot platform, with over 30,000 fans looking on, according to a press release from Red Bull.

The iconic event has a historic legacy in the Twin Cities – in 2010’s Red Bull Flugtag St. Paul, team Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies flew 207 feet, smashing a previous world record that had been in place for over 10 years.

The afternoon began with a national anthem sung by powerhouse vocalist Brent Rice, a sky dive from Red Bull Air Force, and a dive off the Flight Deck from judge and Red Bull Cliff Diving athlete Ellie Smart. From there, the teams took to the skies, competing for the highest combined score across distance, creativity, and showmanship.

“It’s great to have people come together like this,” said Brian Durand of the locally based winning team, Dunwoody Daredevils. “It’s really very special for the Dunwoody College of Technology, and it was a great opportunity for the entire team.”

Top Performers – Final Results

• 1st Place: Dunwoody Daredevils (Minneapolis, MN)
o Comprised of engineering faculty and students from Dunwoody College’s Experimental Vehicles Division, the team brought serious technical firepower to their first Red Bull Flugtag.

• 2nd Place and People’s Choice: Glide or Die! (Saint Paul, MN)
o The team brought Great Lakes history to the flight deck with a Minnesotasized tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald, disguised as a legitimately engineered glider. In addition to taking second place, the team was voted the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

• 3rd Place: Wergin A Fly (Allenton, WI)
o The Noah’s Ark-themed craft is comprised of a team that loves rock climbing, rafting, canyoneering, and cliff jumping – as well as generally finding creative ways to test gravity, with a self-taught paramotor pilot leading the charge.

The Judging Panel

The judging panel was comprised of Olympic ice hockey gold medalist and Team USA Women’s Hockey Captain, Hilary Knight; legendary snowmobile racer, X Games gold medalist and world record holder, Levi LaValee; professional diver and Red Bull Cliff Diving world champion Ellie Smart; ultra endurance athlete Mark Dowdle; and social media creator, actor and entrepreneur Brent Rivera.

“Our inspiration was really the history of Lake Superior and the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and the fact that it was lost 50 years ago,” said David Washington of team Glide Or Die. “We wanted to pay tribute to it […] It feels great to be crowned the Red Bull Flugtag Minneapolis People’s Choice Champion, and we just want to say thanks to all the people who helped us and our families that were patient with us along the way.”

Teams traveled from across the country to compete, but Minneapolis pride was on full display as many crews incorporated Minnesota and Midwest-inspired themes into their aircraft designs. From cowboys riding giant muskies to flying moose, loons, mallards, and ducks, the vehicles showcased the creativity, humor, and imagination that have become hallmarks of Red Bull Flugtag.

Between flights, fans were treated to high-energy entertainment that kept the lake buzzing and ensured the action never slowed. Highlights included a slapshot challenge featuring Olympians Hilary Knight, Laila Edwards, and Quinn Hughes, who launched foam pucks into the crowd and delivered an unforgettable moment for fans

Since its launch in Vienna, Austria in 1992, Red Bull Flugtag has touched down in more than 50 countries. After two runs in Saint Paul in 2010 and 2019, the 2026 Minneapolis edition successfully reminded fans that Minnesotans know how to get a job done.

For additional highlights from Red Bull Flugtag Minneapolis, follow @RedBullUSA on Instagram and TikTok.