The latest news...
2022 NATIONAL RACE RESULTS
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
Overall High School Co-Champion
- 1st Place - Portfolio & Display
- 1st Place - Design and Engineering
- 1st Place - Capture the Flag
Judges Choice Award - High School
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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
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.
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Come to Orlando for the National Race
We are incredibly excited to announce the date and location for our 2022 National Race is now set! Our event will be held in conjunction with the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), XPONENTIAL conference in Orlando, Florida, on April 27 & 28, 2022. 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. At XPONENTIAL, not only will our teams have the opportunity to race and compete against the best students in the United States, but they will also have the opportunity to see the future of the industry while connecting with experts in all aspects of unmanned/unoccupied innovation.
Our top 32 teams will be invited to this exclusive event, so make sure you get on the list by registering your team and competing in our face-to-face and virtual events. All teams who enter events will earn points toward the National Race. In addition to overall season points, teams can also secure an invitation for top scores in each non-race judging category; Design and Engineering, Portfolio and Display Booth, and Video Presentation from our virtual races.
Our top 32 teams will be invited to this exclusive event, so make sure you get on the list by registering your team and competing in our face-to-face and virtual events. All teams who enter events will earn points toward the National Race. In addition to overall season points, teams can also secure an invitation for top scores in each non-race judging category; Design and Engineering, Portfolio and Display Booth, and Video Presentation from our virtual races.
Drone in School Announces the First Universal Time Trial Track of 2022
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In addition to face-to-face races, we will be hosting monthly "Virtual" races where teams will set up a "Universal Time-Trial" track (UTT) at your school. Each team will set up a head-to-head race track for these events based on a standard layout that will fit on a basketball court. This allows you to run your team(s) and clock times that will be submitted with video proof for judging/verification purposes. These Universal Time Trial events will also provide an opportunity for you and your team to compete with other Drones in School teams from around the world. We will be hosting three UTT events, one in January, one in February, and one in March. For each UTT event, there will be a head-to-head style track and a submission process to judge most components of a regular face-to-face Drones in School competition. (Design and Engineering, Portfolio and Display Booth, Video Presentation, and Head-to-Head Racing)
Register Your Team and Register for the January Global Virtual Season Opener Race Today! |
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Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Partners with Drones in School to Fund 100 New Teams
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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. |
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Drones in School Recognized as First AMA Authorized STE(A)M Program
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The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) recently launched a program to showcase exemplar STE(A)M programs in the field of aeronautics. The AMA staff reviewed our program and approved Drones in School as the first STE(A)M recognized by the AMA.
The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is the official national body for model aviation in the United States. AMA sanctions more than 2,000 model competitions throughout the country each year and certifies official model flying records nationally and internationally. AMA is the world's largest model aviation association, representing a membership of nearly 200,000 from every walk of life, income level, and age group. Learn more about the AMA at modelaircraft.org |
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Virtual Races Scheduled Monthly Through March
Our first virtual race with the MultiGP STEM Alliance was last Wednesday and Thursday on the MultiGP YouTube channel. Over 40 pilots went head-to-head in Beginner and Advanced divisions.
We are excited about the response to our first VelociDrone race! But don't worry, if you didn't get everything set up for this event, we have more on the way!! We will have one virtual race each month from now until March. Not only will this help your pilots improve their skills, but this will also give your team a way to score points toward our championship race this August in Muncie, Indiana. Get your VelociDrone licenses setup and stay tuned for details about the next race!
Check out the Advanced Final Race in the Video Below.
We are excited about the response to our first VelociDrone race! But don't worry, if you didn't get everything set up for this event, we have more on the way!! We will have one virtual race each month from now until March. Not only will this help your pilots improve their skills, but this will also give your team a way to score points toward our championship race this August in Muncie, Indiana. Get your VelociDrone licenses setup and stay tuned for details about the next race!
Check out the Advanced Final Race in the Video Below.
Participate in the First Virtual Race of the Season
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Get your pilots ready! We are rolling with our first online race on November 17-19. With the support of our partners at NVision/TCMMRC, MultiGP, The University of North Dakota (UND), the UND Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS), and the Collegiate Drone Racing Association, we are proud to kick off our 2020-2021 season with the MultiGP STEM Alliance Fall Challenge simulator race using the prominent racing simulator: VelociDrone.
Pilots will qualify on Tuesday, November 17, and then be split into Beginner and Advanced groups. The Beginner finals start at 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, November 18, followed by the Advanced finals at 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, November 19. The Beginner and Advanced finals will be live-streamed with commentary from Joe Scully, a world famous drone racing announcer, and other special guests. The top three finishers in each group will receive the soon to be released MultiGP STEM kit, featuring a brushed, nano-sized FPV racing drone along with a radio, FPV headset, charger, and batteries. The MultiGP STEM kit is designed for use with the MultiGP STEM Alliance / Drones in School curriculum, currently being rolled out at schools across the US and beyond. Additionally, your team will get on the leaderboard for the 2020-21 season and be on your way to earn a spot at the 2021 World Championships. Registration is $10 per pilot. |
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Introducing the MultiGP STEM Alliance
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Drones in School, The Collegiate Drone Racing Association (CDRA) and MultiGP are very proud to announce the formation of the MultiGP STEM Alliance. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education is critical for the future of our youth and communities, and there is nothing that gets young people more excited about STEM than the futuristic sport of drone racing. With a focus on students at the middle school, high school and college levels, the MultiGP STEM Alliance is dedicated to the mission of using drone racing to foster the growth of STEM education.
The Collegiate Drone Racing Association (CDRA) is the home of the College Drone Racing Championship. It is the world’s largest academic drone racing association, with extensive experience in bringing the sport of drone racing to educational institutions. MultiGP is the world’s largest drone racing organization, with over 30,000 members and over 700 chapters around the world. MultiGP is also the home of the MultiGP Global Qualifiers and Championship, the pinnacle of open drone racing competition in the world, crowning the world’s only true drone racing world champion. The MultiGP STEM Alliance will soon be unveiling a full curriculum for after-school drone racing STEM programs, as well as other programs intended to help bring more students and academic institutions into the exciting sport of drone racing. |
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2019-20 Season Final Ranking
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We are pleased to announce our 2019-20 Champion teams, 1014A- High Five from Chesterville, Ohio and 1004A- The Tech Republic from Chippewa Middle School! We would have loved to see a final showdown race for everyone, but as fate would have it, the total team points accumulated was the deciding factor this year. A huge congratulation to team High Five, The Tech Republic and all the amazing competitors this season! Keep an eye on the website for details about the 2020-21 season. Hope to see everyone very soon!
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High School Champions - 1014A - Team High Five
Middle School Champions - 1004A - The Tech Republic
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The 2020 Ohio Educational Technology Conference (OETC) Race Sees 11 Teams Show Their Stuff in Front of Ohio's Most Innovative Educators
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The 2020 Ohio Educational Technology Conference Race was a huge success with 11 teams showcasing their engineering, marketing, graphic design, project management, and piloting skills in front of Ohio's largest gathering of technology-focused educators. There were many highlights during the event, but perhaps the most exciting race of the day was the championship Capture the Flag Race. Team High Five (1014A) and team Tiny Oops (1181A) had just faced off in the head-to-head championship race where team Tiny Oops barely squeaked out a win, due to a battery malfunction for 1014A. Now, they were back at it to claim the coveted first place trophy in Capture the Flag. At the end of the 2-minute race, the score was tied, and the race moved into sudden death. Both teams had one beacon to change, and the first team to flip their color wins the day. At the referee's signal, both teams drones leaped from their launch pads and headed toward their target. The drones were dead event arriving at their destination, but with some accurate flying, team High Five flipped their beacon first and won the day. This win not only secured their Capture-the-Flag win but also placed them securely in the winner's circle as the overall High School Race Champion! Great job to all of our Drones in School teams! Everyone we saw was having a great time and learning a TON from each other and our judges.
Below are the results from the day:
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High School Champions - 1014A - Team High Five
Middle School Champions - 1004A - The Tech Republic
Judges Choice - 1013A - Aura
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National Championship Race Scheduled for Saturday, April 18th in Marion, Ohio
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We are pleased to announce the 2020 Drones in School National Championship Race will be held in Marion, Ohio, at The Ohio State University Regional Campus. This event will be open to the top twenty-four teams based on the Championship Race Point Standings for the 2019-20 season. If you have not yet attended an event and would like to receive an invitation to the 2020 Championship Race, there is still time to earn race points. As long as your team has built a drone that meets the Drone Design Regulations listed in the 2019-2020 Season Guide, you can participate in a Drones in School race and earn Championship Race Points. For each race, you will receive a minimum of 5 National Championship Points. Check out the upcoming race events on RobotEvents.com.
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The 2019-20 Season Begins with the Made in Marion Scrimmage
Six teams competed at the first event of the 2019-20 season, the Drones in School Scrimmage at the Made in Marion Expo in Marion, Ohio. Pilots were able to hone their skills in both head-to-head races and the updated Capture the Flag race. Teams also had the privilege of learning from Ready Made R/C's lead drone pilot, Ryan Hart (AKA: Mr. Noize). All of the teams greatly appreciated the opportunity to get live practice time on the actual race equipment. Everyone also realized they'll need to spend a lot more time flying to get to a point where they can compete at the professional level. Our next race will be on November 13th at Harding High School in Marion, Ohio. Register before November 10th on RobotEvents.com
Check out the video from Ryan Hart's Drone at the Made in Marion Expo |
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Drones in School Program Highlighted by Ohio's Superintendent of Public Instruction
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During the Ohio State Fair, Ohio's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Paulo DeMaria, stopped by the OTEEA Technology and Engineering Showcase to learn more about the Drones in School program. Tad Douce from the Drones in School organization and Conor Beltz, a student from River Valley Middle School, share the many benefits of starting a drone program for teaching engineering, manufacturing, problem-solving and project management. After the meeting Mr. DeMaria shared out a video through his social media accounts to let everyone know about our program and how they can get involved.
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Great Teams at the Drones in School RAMTEC National Qualifier
Eight teams competed in the 2019 RAMTEC Qualifier on March 2, 2019. The judging team was quite impressed with each entry. Teams competed in every aspect of the Drones in School program, which includes; Team Display, Engineering and Design, Head-to-Head Racing, Verbal Presentation, and Capture-the-Flag.
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High School Results:
Middle School Results:
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Drones in School Teams Participate in Scrimmage at OETC
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Four Drones in School teams attended our first event of the 2018-19 season at the Ohio Educational Technology Conference Scrimmage in Columbus, Ohio on February 13th. The focus for the day was practicing our flying and getting tips from our FPV experts from Ready Made R/C, Kevin McCleary and Ryan Hart. During the day many educators stopped in and checked out what the students were doing. This created a great opportunity to promote our event to Ohio teachers and we expect many new teams to get started from this event. The best news of the day is the OETC staff was incredibly impressed with the event and have already invited us back for a race in 2020!
Results:
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ReadyMade R/C Hosts Drones in School Education Workshop
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Thirteen educators attended the Getting Started with Drones in School workshop at Ready Made R/C in Lewis Center, OH. During the day educators built, configured, and flew (and crashed) their own FPV racing drone. Ryan and Kevin from ReadyMade R/C also showed off their flying skills to show us what's possible with a little practice. During the day these future Drones in School advisors learned about how to set up their drones using Betaflight, how to design custom frames with Autodesk Inventor, and how to completely tear down and rebuild a drone. EduEverything Executive Director, Tad Douce, facilitated the workshop and was quite pleased with everyone's progress. "It's hard to believe that these teachers started the day with no knowledge of drone racing and by 3 pm they were flying a drone they built from scratch," Douce said. To find out about our next workshop, join our mailing list.
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Drones in School Scrimmage at the Ohio Educational Technology Conference
Drones in School will be hosting a scrimmage for all 2018-19 teams at the Ohio Educational Technology Conference in Columbus, Ohio on February 13th. This event will feature the head-to-head and capture the flag races for all participating teams. To register your team, visit: www.robotevents.com/robot-competitions/drones-in-school
Drones in School Hosts First Educator Workshop
Twenty educators recently attended a one day workshop at the Tri-Rivers Career Center to learn more about how the Drones in School program can impact their students. During the day each educator assembled and configured their own micro-drone that they could bring back to their school. The day also included time for these educators to learn about all of the great learning opportunities drone racing can bring to the classroom. From 3-D modeling and 3-D printing, to basic electronics and Betaflight, students who participate in the Drones in School program will master content areas that will prepare them for the jobs of the future. In addition to the micro-drone each teacher built, each one took over $250 in equipment back to their school to kickstart their Drones in School program. Their kit included everything they need to get a team started in this exciting competition.
To make sure you can attend the next Drone in School workshop, complete our form linked above by clicking "Contact Us".
To make sure you can attend the next Drone in School workshop, complete our form linked above by clicking "Contact Us".
