Last Update September 26, 2024
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
April 2024: Mission 2025 season opens for team registration
September 10, 2024: Mission 2025 competition rules released
October 2024 - March 2025: Local qualifying events
December 13, 2024: Deadline for team registration
April 2025 - June 2025: 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 does it cost?
Visit RobotEvents.com to register. The cost is $175 USD per team for the 2024-2025 season.
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.
Step by step instructions on registering a team(s) can be found in our REC Library.
Are there teams/events in my area?
Aerial Drone Competition is the fastest growing program at the REC Foundation. We encourage you to check RobotEvents.com 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.
Equipment -Drones
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).
What drones are legal for competition?
For the 2024-2025 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.
Where do I order drones?
We recommend you purchase drones from Robolink.
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
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:
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1 Red Arch Gate
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1 Blue Arch Gate
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1 Yellow Keyhole Gate
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1 Green Keyhole Gate
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1 Red Landing Pad
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1 Blue Landing Pad
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12" Blue Landing Cube
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18" Red Landing Cube
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3 Programming Mats
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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.
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. Each team will be given the opportunity to have 2 five minute sessions at the field to complete up to three Autonomous Flight Skills Mission runs each session.
- 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 and teams will have 2 opportunities at each competition.
- 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 RobotEvents.com to determine the cost of each event in your region.
Where can I find a competition?
Visit RobotEvents.com to search for Aerial Drone Competitions near you. Don’t see an event near you? Consider being an event host! We’ll train and support you all along the way.
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 2025 Championships and will be announced in the fall of 2024.
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.