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The Aerial Drone Competition: Largest Student Drone Program in the US Soars to New Educational Heights

November 18, 2024

Greenville, TX – November 18, 2024 –  Another exciting and educational drone season has begun for thousands of middle and high schools nationwide. The Aerial Drone Competition’s Mission 2025: Gravity from the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) is leading the most comprehensive and exciting drone sporting initiative to promote hands-on, student-centered learning. 

According to a drone market survey, the industry continues its upward trajectory, poised to reach more than $128 billion by 2030 due to growth at a fast pace, such as technological advancement and need across various industries. The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation is proud to receive support from esteemed organizations such as NASA, the Department of Defense (DoD) STEM, and Google.org, which supports the organization’s Indigenous Robotics initiative. The Aerial Drone Competition features the Robolink CoDrone EDU, a highly versatile and programmable drone tailored for educational use. These partnerships help provide students with invaluable real-world experience while offering a deeper insight into the vast array of career opportunities within the aerospace, technology, and robotics industries.

Up to 10,000 students in grades 5 through 12 will compete this season in local and national competitions in approximately 42 states across the US. These competitions are not just about showcasing flying skills but also about collaborative teamwork and problem-solving. Teams unite to complete four missions that test their creativity, technical acumen, and strategic thinking.

“The Aerial Drone Competition offers a dynamic, fun, and engaging STEM educational experience that prepares students with the skills they need to become tomorrow’s leading innovators for a variety of industries that require the many uses for drone expertise,” said Louann Cormier, Senior Program Manager of the Aerial Drone Competition.

Interested schools, students, and educators are encouraged to learn more about the Aerial Drone Competition that combines education and entertainment in an unforgettable setting by visiting this website.

About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF)

The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) is a global organization dedicated to increasing student engagement in science, technology, engineering, math, and computer

2025-2026 Signature Event Updates

  1. An Event Partner wanting to apply to host a Signature Event must have hosted events for at least 2 seasons prior to applying. 
  2. Signature Events must use the officially branded award banners for the Excellence Award and Tournament/Teamwork Champions Award.
  3. When hanging field skirts the VEX Robotics logo/brand name can not be covered up on the competition fields.
  4. VEX V5 Robotics Competition Signature Events may have regional capacity and max per organization restrictions lifted 8 weeks before the event if the event is not full (similar to the process already in place for VEX IQ Robotics Competition Signature Events).
  5. Minimum pit size reduced to 8’x 8’ instead of 10’x10’.
  6. Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, the REC Foundation will collect $10 instead of $5 per team registration on all Signature Events. This is to help offset travel costs for REC Foundation staff to support these larger events.

2025-2026 Signature Event Application Reminders

  1. Existing Signature Events only need to complete the Final Application (due by March 31, 2025)
  2. New Signature Event concepts will need to complete the Initial Proposal by January 31, 2025 and if approved, complete the Final Application by March 31, 2025.
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