Predator and polar birds, wild and marine animals or other symbolic ones, agile insects, old planes, fast cars and geometrical aerodynamic shapes are some of the aircraft designs that will compete at the first Red Bull Flugtag Qatar.
The event will be held at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park on November 1 under the patronage of HE Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA).
The event is being organised in collaboration with Ford as one of the main sponsors, Innovations Unlimited ME - the event management agency, QMA and MIA as the hosts and others.
It features flying machines designed in creative shapes competing to fly without any engine and exclusively human-powered.
Selected teams have started to build their designs as a concrete translation of their previous sketches. The flying machines have to amaze and entertain the crowd and try to accomplish the longest flying distance before landing in the water.  
Ford will sponsor a team that builds a flying machine in the image of an iconic Ford car.
“The challenge for the team will be to follow an open design brief and create the flying icon,” said Paul Anderson, marketing director at Ford Middle East.
“Ford will follow the team’s creative progress by ‘time-lapse’ photography, from design stage to final creation, and also provide expert advice with its go-pros, who will document the build journey.”
Teams should consist of a pilot and three assistants and have to abide by Red Bull Flugtag rules in terms of the maximum weight of a flying machine with a pilot (not exceeding 180kg) and maximum length (8m). At the same time, the use of any engine or source of propulsion is forbidden and the team will depend only on human force.
Performances will be evaluated based on three main factors: creativity of the craft, showmanship and flight distance. The pilot has to jump from a 6m-high platform and fly as far as possible (five points per metre).
Teams that want to win have to creatively design and build an aircraft that will appeal to the jury and, before the take-off and landing in water, present a 60-second show to entertain both the public and the panel.