The Aerial Drone Competition, supported by the REC Foundation, provides an exciting educational drone sporting event focused on hands-on, student-centered learning. Teams learn about drones, flight principles, programming, documentation, and interpersonal skills, while expanding their understanding and building interest in drone-related career opportunities. The competition prepares our youth for the workforce by strengthening the skills they’ll rely on. Through its uniquely engaging combination of teamwork and problem-solving, students execute an analytic process that resembles the same mindset used by engineers, designers, and virtually every other profession. The competition is not just fun to play—it is a vehicle for teaching (and testing) communication, collaboration, and perseverance, and allows students to approach and solve new challenges with confidence.

The game design presents a challenge, requires cooperation, encourages innovation, and fosters fun. Our data demonstrates that the skills gained through participation in the Aerial Drone Competition help students prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Competitions are open to middle and high school students who compete in local and national events. Students pilot and program drones, and documenting their process in a competition logbook."