drones_in_school

2025 Championship Results

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Sun, 25 May 2025 03:33:18 GMT

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in Houston, Texas

The top high school and middle school teams from around the nation participated in the 2025 Season Championship. This year, 27 teams participated at the AUVSI Xponential conference in Houston, Texas. Teams competed in the categories of Marketing Video, Design and Engineering, Portfolio and Display, Head-to-Head Racing, and Capture the Flag. Teams earn points for each category to accumulate an overall score that is used to determine the season champion! The competition at the 2025 Season Championship was intense! These teams had to put together all the details and show off some outstanding flying skills to earn a top-four finish this season. We look forward to the continued growth of Drones in School and appreciate all our teams, advisors, volunteers, staff, and sponsors who made this event possible.

Below are the results of this event.

Our Sponsors

Event Partners

2025 Season Results

High School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

National Runner-Up

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School
Belmont, MA

Third Place

Drone-A-Soars - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Flying Saucers - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

High School Judges Choice Award

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School
Belmont, MA

Airborne Ops - Norwayne High School
Creston, OH

High School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School

Belmont, MA

Third Place

Airborne Ops - Norwayne High School

Creston, OH

Fourth Place

Thunderbirds - Norwayne High School

Creston, OH

High School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School

Belmont, MA

Third Place

Thunderbirds - Norwayne High School

Creston, OH

Fourth Place

Airborne Ops - Norwayne High School

Creston, OH

High School Marketing Video

First Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Eagles - Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School

Belmont, MA

Fourth Place (tie)

Drone-A-Soars - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

RpAM - David Posnack Jewish Day School
Davie, FL

High School Portfolio & Display

First Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School

Belmont, MA

Third Place

Flying Saucers - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Drone-A-Soars - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

High School Design & Engineering

First Place (tie)

Drones-A-Soars - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

First Place (tie)

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School

Belmont, MA

Second Place

Airborne Ops - Norwayne High School

Creston, OH

Third Place (tie)

Thunderbirds - Norwayne High School
Creston, OH

Red Phoenix - George T. Baker Aviation High School

Miami, FL

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School

Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Flying Saucers - Bellbrook High School
Bellbrook, OH

Middle School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School
Boca Raton, FL

National Runner-Up

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Third Place

Eagles Perch - Donna Klein Jewish Academy
Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Intergalactic Bounty Seeker (IBS) - Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Judges Choice Award

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School

Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Third Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North
Miami, FL

Fourth Place

Firebird - Providence Day School
Charlotte, NC

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North
Miami, FL

Second Place

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School

North Palm Beach, FL

Third Place

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School

Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Warrior 1 - Walton Middle School
DeFuniak Springs FL

Middle School Marketing Video

First Place

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School

Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Third Place

Warrior 1 - Walton Middle School

DeFuniak Springs, FL

Fourth Place

Intergalactic Bounty Seeker (IBS) - Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Portfolio & Display

First Place

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School

Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Third Place

Eagles Perch - Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Intergalactic Bounty Seeker (IBS) - Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Design & Engineering

First Place

LeDrone James - The Benjamin School
North Palm Beach, FL

Second Place

6 Arrows - A.D. Henderson Lab School

Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Warrior 1 - Walton Middle School

DeFuniak Springs, FL

Fourth Place

Seventeen Pegasus - Providence Day School
Charlotte, NC

Understanding FAA Regulations for Drones

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:19:34 GMT

There is a great deal of confusion and misinformation regarding the regulations and requirements schools must follow when using drones in the educational environment. The majority of these concerns revolve around the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licensing requirements in the United States. In this article, we will provide the correct information related to FAA rules so you can move forward with the Drones in School program with confidence.

"The mission of the FAA is to regulate civil aviation and U.S. commercial space transportation, maintain and operate air traffic control and navigation systems for both civil and military aircrafts, and develop and administer programs relating to aviation safety and the National Airspace System." ( reference link )

The Drones in School program is designed to operate entirely indoors. The FAA is tasked with ensuring safety in the national airspace system (places where airplanes fly), a.k.a. outdoor space. Since airplanes do not fly inside buildings, the FAA does not regulate what you do with an aircraft or model aircraft when you are indoors. Therefore, no licensing is required as long as students and adults practice the guidance provided by Drones in School and fly indoors.

When you restrict flying to indoor spaces, you can rest assured that you are entirely in compliance with the legal requirements for drone flight. However, to provide one additional layer of safety, we recommend all students and advisors complete T he R ecreational U AS S afety T est ( TRUST ) and download their official certificate proving they fully understand the legal requirements for flying outdoors for recreational purposes. Although this is not required for indoor flight, we think it's a good idea since it is quite possible a student or adult may want to fly outdoors at some point with their aircraft. When flying a drone like the ones used in Drones in School that weigh less than 250g (.55 lbs) for recreational purposes, the FAA only requires the pilot to have their TRUST certificate and follow the guidance of their community-based organization. (We recommend following Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) guidance)

We hope this provides some clarity for educators and administrators exploring the Drones in School program for their students. If you have any questions about regulations or the program and general, please contact us at: info@dronesinschool.com

2024 National Race Results

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:14:52 GMT

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in San Diego, California

The top six high school and six middle school of teams from around the nation participated in the 2024 National Championship. Below are the results of this event.

Our Sponsors

Event Results

High School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

Buritto Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Schools - Elizabethtown, PA

Fourth Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

High School Judges Choice Award

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

High School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Buritto Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Schools - Elizabethtown, PA

Third Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

The Knight Crushers - George T. Baker Aviation HS - Miami, FL

High School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Fourth Place

Buritto Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Schools - Elizabethtown, PA

High School Marketing Video

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

Buritto Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Schools - Elizabethtown, PA

Fourth Place

The Knight Crushers - George T. Baker Aviation HS - Miami, FL

High School Portfolio & Display

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Fourth Place

The Knight Crushers - George T. Baker Aviation HS - Miami, FL

High School Design & Engineering

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Full Throttle - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

BH Drones - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Fourth Place

Buritto Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Schools - Elizabethtown, PA

Middle School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

Light Speed Lemons - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Drone X - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Fourth Place

Cloud 9 - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Judges Choice Award

Bulldogs - LeJardin Academy - Kailua, HI

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Second Place

Drone X - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Drones in Paradise - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Bulldogs - LeJardin Academy - Kailua, HI

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Second Place

Light Speed Lemons - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Bulldogs - LeJardin Academy - Kailua, HI

Fourth Place

Drone x - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Marketing Video

First Place

Light Speed Lemons - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Cloud 9 - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Drone X - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Drones in Paradise - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Portfolio & Display

First Place

Drones in Paradise - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Drone X - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Light Speed Lemons - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Middle School Design & Engineering

First Place

Light Speed Lemons - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Drone X - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Cloud 9 - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

2023 National Race Results

Wed, 17 May 2023 02:11:30 GMT

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in Denver, Colorado

The top nine high school and seven middle school of teams from around the nation participated in the 2023 National Championship. Below are the results of this event.

Our Sponsors

Event Results

High School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Polar Props - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

Third Place

BH Drones US A - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Fourth Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

High School Judges Choice Award

RamTech - Miami Coral Park Senior High School - Miami, FL

High School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

BH Drones US A - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Third Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Polar Props - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

High School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

BH Drones US A - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

Third Place

Polar Props - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

Fourth Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

High School Marketing Video

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Third Place

Flying Rams - David Posnack Jewish Day School - Davie, FL

Fourth Place

BHS Fuel - Brookfield High School - Brookfield, OH

High School Portfolio & Display

First Place

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Polar Props - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

Third Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Sky Knights Team 1 - Miami Sunset Senior High School - Miami, FL

High School Design & Engineering

First Place (tie)

BH Drones US A - Belmont Hill School - Belmont, MA

First Place (tie)

Polar Props - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

First Place (tie)

Hog Flyers - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Second Place

Sky Knights Team 1 - Miami Sunset Senior High School - Miami, FL

Third Place

Speed Demonz - Bellbrook High School - Bellbrook, OH

Fourth Place

Top Drone HN - Hardin Northern - Dola, OH

Middle School Division

Overall Award

National Champions

Six Degree Drone Racing - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Lift-OFF - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

P.I.C. - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

FastSpeeds - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Judges Choice Award

Cwoodeagles - Crestwood Middle School - Royal Palm Beach, FL

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

First Place

Six Degree Drone Racing - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Third Place

P.I.C. - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

FastSpeeds - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

First Place

Flying Pythons - iPrep Academy North - Miami, FL

Second Place

Six Degree Drone Racing - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Burrito Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Middle School - Elizabethtown, PA

Fourth Place

Lift-OFF ADHUS - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Marketing Video

First Place

Six Degree Drone Racing - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place

Lift-OFF - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

P.I.C. - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

FastSpeeds - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Middle School Portfolio & Display

First Place

Lift-OFF ADHUS - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Second Place (3-Way Tie)

Burrito Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Middle School - Elizabethtown, PA

Six Degree Drone Racing - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

FastSpeeds - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

P.I.C. - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

Cwoodeagles - Crestwood Middle School - Royal Palm Beach, FL

Middle School Design & Engineering

First Place

Burrito Bandits - Elizabethtown Area Middle School - Elizabethtown, PA

Second Place

Six Degree Drone Racing ADHUS - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Third Place

Lift-OFF ADHUS - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Fourth Place

FastSpeeds ADHUS - A.D. Henderson Lab School - Boca Raton, FL

Images from the 2023 National Championship Race

Understanding Florida Statute 934.50

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 19:05:05 GMT

Emax Aircraft, Tinyhawk II and Tinyhawk III Cleared for Use in Florida Starting April 5, 2023

On July 1, 2021, Chapter 2021-165, Laws of Florida, went into effect due to legislation passed during the 2021 Legislative Session. This legislation included Section 934.50: Searches and seizure using a drone. This statute section requires the Florida Department of Management Services to develop minimum security standards, including a list of approved manufacturers, for governmental agency drone use. According to the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), the intent of this legislation was to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data collected, transmitted, or stored by a drone, specifically with regard to the potential for subterfuge by foreign adversaries.

A staff analysis specifically noted that the United States Army discontinued the use of drones manufactured by "Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), the world's largest supplier of drones, including all DJI drones and systems that use DJI components or software, after alleging in a memo that the company shared critical infrastructure and law enforcement data with the Chinese government.

The statute provides the following definition of a drone:

(a) "Drone" means a powered, aerial vehicle that:

1. Does not carry a human operator;

2. Uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift;

3. Can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely;

4. Can be expendable or recoverable; and

5. Can carry a lethal or nonlethal payload.

Although we are very aware of the concerns related to the use of outdoor autonomous and remotely operated unoccupied aircraft and the related matters of safety and privacy, we expect our micro-scale indoor drones were not the devices the legislature envisioned with this definition. Based on this definition and the fact that the stock aircraft used in our program are not designed to carry a payload, it was determined that our aircraft do not meet Florida's definition of a drone.

As a result of this legislation, DMS released a list of five drone manufacturers approved to be purchased or otherwise acquired and used by a governmental agency under section 934.50. These manufacturers were:

Skydio
Parrot
Altavian
Teal Drones
Vantage Robotics

Based on this rule, the Florida Department of Education released a memo on January 9, 2023, stating:

"Both school districts and Florida College System institutions fall under the definition of "governmental agency" as defined by s. 934.50, F.S. As a reminder, January 1, 2023, is the date by which all governmental agencies, as defined by s. 934.50, F.S., must discontinue use of drones not produced by an approved manufacturer."

After this Florida Department of Education memo was released to our participating school districts, we received several messages voicing concern about continuing with the Drones in School program. At that point, we contacted the Florida Department of Management Services and engaged our partner, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, to provide additional feedback and encourage DMS to reconsider how this rule was implemented.

In addition to feedback from Drones in School and our partners, the Florida Department of Management Services received additional input from various stakeholders expressing concerns about the impact this rule will have on micro-scale indoor drones that were not the DJI and other networked aerial devices the legislature envisioned with this statute.

Based on the feedback from these various stakeholders, Florida Department of Management Services has updated rule 60GG-2.0075 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Minimum Security Requirements. The new rule that took effect on April 5, 2023, changed the approved manufacture list to a set of Minimum Security Requirements equipment must meet to be approved for purchase by government entities in Florida. The requirements are also tiered to allow educational entities more flexibility when using drones for instructional purposes.

This new rule states: "A Drone used by a School exclusively as Instructional Technology shall be classified as Tier One Drone use." For Tier One drones, the following requirements must be met.

A Governmental Agency may not purchase, acquire, or otherwise use a Drone or any related services or equipment produced by a manufacturer domiciled in, or produced by a manufacturer the Governmental Agency reasonably believes to be owned or controlled (in whole or in part) by, a Foreign Country of Concern.
Our current team startup package is manufactured by Emax USA, incorporated and headquartered in California, USA. Therefore, meeting the requirement of not domiciled, owned, or controlled (in whole or in part) by a Foreign Country of Concern.

Standard Precautions.
Our current team startup package, the Tinyhawk series from Emax USA, has no network connectivity, so this standard is met.

According to the Florida Department of Management Services Rule 60GG-2.0075, the current Drones in School Team Startup Package manufactured by Emax USA, which is domiciled, incorporated, and headquartered in California, USA, meets the Tier 1 Minimum Security Requirements for drones used as instructional technology purposes and is permitted for this purpose in the State of Florida.

We maintain the position that based on Florida's definition of a drone and the fact that the stock aircraft used in our program are not designed to carry a payload, our aircraft do not meet Florida's definition of a drone. However, with the release of D.M.S. Rule 60GG-2.0075, we are completely confident that Florida schools can continue participating in the Drones in School program in compliance with Florida's legal requirements.

If you or your administrative team have questions about this rule and how it applies to using drone technology in your classroom, please feel free to reach out via email to: info@dronesinschool.com

You can read the full updated rule here: www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=60GG-2.0075

Drones in School Event Featured at the Ohio Educational Technology Conference

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 15:19:39 GMT

Nine teams show off their skills at the Columbus, Ohio educator conference.

Middle school and high school teams from Ohio and Pennsylvania converged in Columbus on February 15th to participate in the Ohio Educational Technology Conference Race. Educators attending the event were able to experience the excitement of drone racing while also getting the opportunity to ask questions of the students and advisers currently participating in the Drones in School program. One of the first races for Drones in School was held at this conference in 2019. "It's Great to have so many excellent teams participating at this year's conference." Tad Douce, Executive Director for Drones in School, shared, "The Ohio educational technology conference (OETC) is an excellent place to showcase our program. Most educators attending this conference are technology early adopters, so designing and flying drones is attractive to many of them."

2023 is the first year back to a live conference for OETC since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ohio department of education organized the conference and was grateful to have students and teachers willing to participate in the show. Drones in School also had great volunteer judges for the event. Claire Cannizzaro, Paul Adkins, and Spencer Cannizzaro from MultiGP provided race operations guidance and timing equipment to help the head-to-head race run smoothly. Claire also participated in team display and portfolio evaluation with Ohio Technology and Engineering Educator Association (OTEEA) representatives Paul Post and Dick Dieffenderfer. Tim Stanfield, President and founder of ReadyMade RC, also helped with race set up, judging, and clean up for the event.

The Drones in School team would like to thank everyone who assisted with event operations/judging, the OETC conference team for hosting, and all our great advisors and students who participated. Start planning now to attend the 2024 OETC race.

Florida Sees Growth with Continued Support from Florida Power and Light Company

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 03:23:05 GMT

Twenty Florida Schools Provided Free Training and Equipment

Drones in School Returns to XPONENTIAL in May 2023

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 05:26:20 GMT

Drones in School National Race - Denver, Colorado - May 10-11, 2023

Drones in School is excited to announce we will again be hosting our National Race in cooperation with AUVSI at the 2023 XPONENTIAL conference in Denver, Colorado. The National Race will be a two-day event on May 10th and 11th.

XPONENTIAL is a yearly gathering of global leaders and end users in the uncrewed systems and robotics industry. Founded on the belief that cross-pollination drives innovation, it features opportunities to connect and problem-solve with experts across markets and domains. XPONENTIAL gives our teams the opportunity to showcase their technological and operational excellence.

Last year eleven teams participated in the National Championship Race at XPONENTIAL in Orlando, Florida. This year twelve middle school and twelve high school teams will be invited to this event based on the team standings in each competition format; simulator races, virtual races, and live race events. At the National Race, these teams will showcase their team display, team portfolio, and marketing video while also competing in live head-to-head and capture the flag racing. With over one-hundred teams representing Indiana, North Dakota, Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Oregon vying for a chance to compete at the National Race, we're sure this event will be an exciting sequel to our 2022 championship.

The Drones in School team is seeking additional sponsors for the National Race to make this event the best it can be. Drones in School Executive Director Tad Douce explains more, "Since the 2020-21 school year, we have seen tremendous interest in this program. Since then, we've grown from thirteen teams to over one hundred, with more schools coming on board weekly. Supporting Drones in School as a National Race Sponsor helps us provide the best educational experience imaginable for these students and promotes your brand in the UAS industry as a long-term partner committed to developing the workforce pipeline needed for future success."

Since Drones in School is a program of the 501c3 nonprofit, EduEverything, Inc., your sponsorship is tax-deductible, and you can be sure your funds are being used for STEM programming.

While we have accomplished a great deal over the past three years, our goal is to continue to reach and impact even more youth in all communities. Our participants will go on to become technicians, engineers, pilots, designers, project managers, and leaders in their communities. Whether it is classroom curriculum, competitive events, or educator workshops, Drones in School understands the level of commitment needed to develop and foster student participation. We rely on our corporate, foundation, and partner organizations' support to sustain and expand our programs each year.

If you want to learn more about the opportunities available for sponsors and partners, please contact our team at: info@dronesinschool.com .

AUVSI , the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics, and Messe Düsseldorf Group, one of the world's largest organizers of international trade shows, have joined forces to strengthen the global community at XPONENTIAL and ensure that new autonomous technologies are implemented in safe and equitable ways — making autonomy work for everyone.

Drones in School is an Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Authorized STE(A)M Program and a Founding Member of the MultiGP STEM Alliance. Drones in School is a unique educational program that develops aeronautics, engineering, project management, entrepreneurship, graphic design, and marketing skills. Drones in School is a comprehensive event that challenges students to go beyond their current skills through a fun and engaging process that wraps around the exciting sport of drone racing.

Ready Made RC Releases STEM link

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 03:27:34 GMT

Our long-time partner, Ready Made RC, has created a direct link for you to access all of the parts and accessories for our program. This is a great place to purchase rep lacement parts for your MultiGP STEM Alliance Kits. Please let us know if there are particular items you would like to see recommendations for, and we will work with Ready Made RC to source items to meet your team's needs.

Join AUVSI's Aville and Start Networking!

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 00:50:26 GMT

Get Connected to the Experts!

Our National Championship Event Partner, AUVSI, has offered to give all Drones in School advisors free access to their Aville platform! Aville is a new, free online platform to discuss and build the future of autonomy. This first-of-its-kind resource will provide educational resources, forums, and job opportunities for students, industry professionals, and the general public. Aville is a critical element of AUVSI’s strategy to advocate for the safe adoption of autonomous technology and a fabulous resource for our team advisors.

To access Aville go to: meetaville.com

If you do not have an AUVSI account, you can register and create one; it only takes a couple of minutes, and the information gathered will help us provide a more customized user experience.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Partners with Drones in School to Fund 100 New Teams

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 04:04:47 GMT

Drones in School is proud to announce that Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has become the first Platinum National Partner for our program. Through FPL's generous support of $100,000.00, they have made it possible for us to create a grant to support 100 new Drones in School, middle school, or high school teams from the state of Florida. Through this grant, awarded teams will receive full support underwriting the equipment purchase, professional development, and annual registration fees for the current season.

The Drones in School program is open to more than just traditional public schools. To grow the STEM pipeline and meet the needs for the next generation of jobs, we encourage public, private, charter schools, homeschoolers, after-school programs, youth organizations (i.e., Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, 4-H Groups, etc.), and other STEM education stakeholders to apply. The only barrier to launching a STEM program for many organizations is the financial resources to purchase the required equipment. Unfortunately, the students who can benefit most from an engaging, hands-on, innovative program like Drones in School are often in schools that face budgetary constraints preventing them from participating. Through the FPL grant initiative, 100 new teams in Florida will receive two MultiGP STEM Kits at no cost, providing a team with two drones, two controllers, two FPV goggles, batteries, and chargers; everything required to get started in the Drones in School middle school or high school divisions.

Read more about this grant opportunity and apply: www.fpl.com/community/robotics.html

If you are a company interested in joining FPL to support more teams with funding, please get in touch with our Executive Director, Tad Douce, at: info@dronesinschool.com

About Florida Power & Light Company:
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the U.S. as measured by retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S. and in 2020 won the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Excellence Award, presented by PA Consulting, for the fifth time in the last six years. The company was recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2021 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com , www.FPL.com , www.NextEraEnergyResources.com .

2022 National Race Results

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 00:20:38 GMT

The 2022 National Race was a fantastic event! Eleven teams from around the nation competed at the AUVSI Xponential conference in Orlando, Florida to determine the top team in the USA.

High School Results

Overall High School Co-Champions

- 1st Place - Video Presentation

- 1st Place - Head-to-Head Racing

Team 1071A - Belmont Hill Drones

Belmont Hill School

Belmont, Massachusetts

Middle School Results

Overall Middle School Champions
- 1st Place - Design and Engineering
- 1st Place - Portfolio & Display
- 1st Place - Capture the Flag
- 1st Place - Head-to-Head Racing

Team 1058A - Lady Tigers

W. R. Thomas Middle School

Miami, Florida

Overall High School Co-Champion

- 1st Place - Portfolio & Display

Team 45305C - Monkey Brains

Bellbrook High School

Bellbrook, Ohio

- 1st Place - Design and Engineering

Team 45305B - Hog Flyers

Bellbrook High School

Bellbrook, Ohio

- 1st Place - Capture the Flag

Team 1007A - Polar Bears

Hardin Northern High School

Dola, Ohio

AUVSI is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics, with membership representing corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government, and academia.

Judges Choice Award - High School

Team 1015A - Viper Nation

Felix Varela Senior High School

Miami, Florida

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Partners with Drones in School to Fund 100 New Teams

taddouce5@gmail.com (Tad Douce) — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 18:06:14 GMT

drones_in_school

2025 Championship Results

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in Houston, Texas

Our Sponsors

Event Partners

2025 Season Results

High School Division

Overall Award

High School Judges Choice Award

High School Head-to-Head Racing

High School Capture the Flag Racing

High School Marketing Video

High School Portfolio & Display

High School Design & Engineering

Middle School Division

Overall Award

Middle School Judges Choice Award

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

Middle School Marketing Video

Middle School Portfolio & Display

Middle School Design & Engineering

Understanding FAA Regulations for Drones

2024 National Race Results

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in San Diego, California

Our Sponsors

Event Results

High School Division

Overall Award

High School Judges Choice Award

High School Head-to-Head Racing

High School Capture the Flag Racing

High School Marketing Video

High School Portfolio & Display

High School Design & Engineering

Middle School Division

Overall Award

Middle School Judges Choice Award

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

Middle School Marketing Video

Middle School Portfolio & Display

Middle School Design & Engineering

2023 National Race Results

The Best Teams in the Nation Faced Off at the AUVSI XPONENTIAL Conference in Denver, Colorado

Our Sponsors

Event Results

High School Division

Overall Award

High School Judges Choice Award

High School Head-to-Head Racing

High School Capture the Flag Racing

High School Marketing Video

High School Portfolio & Display

High School Design & Engineering

Middle School Division

Overall Award

Middle School Judges Choice Award

Middle School Head-to-Head Racing

Middle School Capture the Flag Racing

Middle School Marketing Video

Middle School Portfolio & Display

Middle School Design & Engineering

Images from the 2023 National Championship Race

Understanding Florida Statute 934.50

Emax Aircraft, Tinyhawk II and Tinyhawk III Cleared for Use in Florida Starting April 5, 2023

Drones in School Event Featured at the Ohio Educational Technology Conference

﻿ Nine teams show off their skills at the Columbus, Ohio educator conference.

Florida Sees Growth with Continued Support from Florida Power and Light Company

Twenty Florida Schools Provided Free Training and Equipment

Drones in School Returns to XPONENTIAL in May 2023

Drones in School National Race - Denver, Colorado - May 10-11, 2023

Ready Made RC Releases STEM link

Join AUVSI's Aville and Start Networking!

Get Connected to the Experts!

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Partners with Drones in School to Fund 100 New Teams

2022 National Race Results

High School Results ﻿

Middle School Results

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Partners with Drones in School to Fund 100 New Teams

Nine teams show off their skills at the Columbus, Ohio educator conference.

High School Results