What is the Aerial Drone Competition?
Supported by the REC Foundation, the Aerial Drone Competition offers an exciting educational drone sporting event that focuses on hands-on, student-centered learning.
Teams learn about drones, flight principles, programming, documentation, and communication skills while expanding their understanding of and building interest in drone-related workforce and career opportunities.
Teams compete in four missions: Teamwork, Piloting, Autonomous Flight, and Communications.
Season Timeline
June 2026: Mission 2027 season opens for team registration
August 11, 2026: Mission 2027 competition rules released
October 2026 - March 2027: Local qualifying events
December 19, 2026: Deadline for team registration
April 2027 - June 2027: Regional Championships
Teams
What are the age requirements?
The Aerial Drone Competition is recommended for students ages 10 - 18. For additional details on age requirements, please refer to the Competition Manual.
How many students are on a team?
We recommend 3-5 students per team. Each team needs one drone.
A school or organization can register multiple teams to accommodate student interest. Each school/organization registers a base number, such as 1234, and each team within that base number has a letter, such as 1234A, 1234B, etc. A base number can support up to 22 teams from a single organization.
How much time do teams need to practice?
This can vary from program to program based on resources and age of the students. A typical team will practice 2-4 hours per week after school.
How do I register a team and how much is the RECF season registration fee?
You can register teams at http://RECFevents.org following these step by step instructions (with screenshots). The RECF season registration fee is $200 USD per team.
Are there teams/events in my area?
Aerial Drone Competition is the fastest growing program at the REC Foundation. We encourage you to check RECFevents.org for the latest events. As this season gets underway, new teams and events will continue to be added. Please reach out to your Regional Support Manager (RSM) to discuss development in your area.
Is there someone to help me get started?
YES! Your Regional Support Manager (RSM) will provide support and share resources to guide you and your team to be successful.
What equipment do I need to compete in the Aerial Drone Competition?
A drone, controller, a computer for programming, and spare parts (batteries, motors, propellers).
Equipment -Drones
Where do I order drones?
Drone and drone accessories can be ordered from our preferred product partner, Robolink.
What drones are legal for competition?
For the 2026-27 Season, there are 3 legal drones: CoDrone EDU, CoDrone EDU (JROTC Edition), and Parrot Mambo.
Note: The JROTC edition was created to meet funding requirements for the JROTC programs. It’s the same drone as the CoDrone EDU, but with specific components sourced from different manufacturers to meet those requirements.
How do I troubleshoot when my CoDrone EDU or controller isn’t working properly?
Solutions to the most common problems can be found at Robolink Website Help Page.
Equipment - Competition Fields and Game Elements
All Competition Field and Game Elements can be ordered from our product partner, Drone Competition Gates.
Competition Fields
A competition features two field layouts: the Teamwork Mission Field Layout and the Skills Mission Layout. The fields have the following elements:
Field Element Kit
This kit includes:
1 Red Arch Gate
1 Blue Arch Gate
1 Yellow Keyhole Gate
1 Green Keyhole Gate
1 Red Landing Pad
1 Blue Landing Pad
12" Blue Landing Cube
18" Red Landing Cube
3 Programming Mats
3 Color Mats
Each kit includes the field elements you need to set up ONE field (either a teamwork or skills field). If you wish to set up a Teamwork Field and a Skills Fields at the same time, you will need TWO Field Element Kits.
This equipment is reused every season and can be ordered from our product partner, Drone Competition Gates.
Game Element Kit
Every season, the Aerial Drone Competition introduces new missions for teams to tackle. The Game Element Kit contains components to be set up on the fields. Each kit is designed to include the elements for one Teamwork Mission Field and one Skills Mission Field.
The Game Element Kit will change each season and can be ordered from our product partner, Drone Competition Gates.
PVC Perimeter
Each season, the competition field perimeter will be constructed from PVC, which can be purchased from your local hardware store. This PVC can be reused each season, though it will be configured differently each time. The required amount is specified in the Competition Manual.
I'm on a limited budget, do I need to purchase a field and game elements to compete?
While it is helpful to have a field and game element to practice with, it is not necessary! Many of our new teams start off by using pool noodles, hula hoops and boxes. Approximate measurements of the field elements can be found in the Competition Manual.
Approved Vendors, Purchase Orders and W9s
For Equipment
All drones, drone equipment, game elements, and field elements are no longer available to purchase through the REC Foundation and must be purchased through our approved product partners. Please ensure your district has the following product partners set up as vendors:
Robolink - Vendor Application
Drone Competition Gates - W9 Form
For Team and Event Registrations
If you registered last season, no changes are needed. The vendor information remains the same.
If your school or district is new to RECF, you can download the RECF W-9 Form here.
Competitions
Where can I read the rules for this year’s competition?
The Competition Manual can be found on the REC Foundation Aerial Drone Competition Webpage.
What is a competition like?
Students participate in 4 missions at an Aerial Drone Competition:
- Teamwork Mission: Two drone teams compete as an Alliance in 90-second matches, working collaboratively to score points on a field approximately 20’x20’.
- Autonomous Flight Skills Mission: A drone is programmed by students to operate entirely autonomously earning points to complete as tasks.
- Piloting Skills Mission: A drone is piloted by students to fly through an obstacle course. Teams compete alone to score as many points as possible by flight through, under and around obstacles. Each Mission is 60 seconds.
- Communications Mission: During the Communications Mission, teams will interview with judges to answer questions about their team, drone, programming, and competition logbook documentation.
Competitions typically take place on Saturdays and run from approximately 8am - 4pm.
What is the cost to attend competitions?
Once your team is registered with the REC Foundation, the fee to attend a local competition varies by state and region. Registration fees for a competition typically range from $50 - $100 USD per team. Championship registrations fees are typically higher. Please visit RECFevents.org to determine the cost of each event in your region.
Where can I find a competition?
We anticipate 350-400 qualifying competitions for Mission 2027. Events will begin to be posted on RECFevents.org, under the EVENTS tab, starting August 1, 2026. Qualifying competitions will begin on October 1, 2026, and will run through April 2027.
New events will continue to be added throughout the fall, with all events expected to be listed by December 1, 2026.
If you're searching for a competition in your area and don't see one listed, please contact your Regional Support Manager (RSM) for assistance.
Championships
When/where are the Aerial Drone Competition Regional Championships?
Each region will have a Regional Championship for Middle School teams and a Regional Championship for High School Teams. Plans are being made for the Mission 2027 Championships and will be announced in the fall of 2026.
Which Regional Championship can I attend?
Teams in the US and Canada are assigned to regions and will be invited to the Regional Championship of their assigned region as shown on the map below. For teams outside the US or Canada, please reach out to our international Regional -Support Manager for more details.
How do we earn a spot at a Regional Championship?
Teams that earn selected awards at local qualifying events will be invited to their Regional Championship. The number of teams and invitations issued depends on factors including:
- # of Registered Teams
- # of Events in a Region
- Size of Regional Championship
More details can be found in the Qualifying Criteria.
More Information
Where can I find more information?
Check out the REC Library for additional documentation for teams, event partners, judges, and volunteers.
How can I learn more?
Contact your Regional Support Manager or email drones@recf.org.