Aerial Drone Competition

# Aerial Drone Competition The Aerial Drone Competition is the drone sporting event of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, the same foundation behind the VEX Robotics World Championship. Teams of roughly 3-5 middle or high school students learn drone piloting, block or Python flight programming, engineering documentation, and communication, then compete season-long at local qualifying events that feed regional championships. The Mission 2027 season opened for team registration in June 2026, with rules released August 11, 2026 and qualifying events running from October 2026 into spring 2027. ## What You'll Do - Fly the Teamwork Mission, where two teams fly together on the same field to maximize a shared score - Program your drone for the Autonomous Flight Mission, operating entirely without pilot input - Navigate an obstacle course in the head-to-head Piloting Mission - Present your programming and documentation to judges in the Communications Mission interview - Compete at local qualifiers for spots at your region's middle school or high school championship ## Who Should Apply Middle and high school students who want a hands-on aviation-flavored alternative to traditional robotics - teams register through school clubs, community organizations, or families for about $200 per team per season, plus one competition drone. ## Outcomes Students build piloting, programming, and engineering-documentation skills recognized across REC Foundation programs, with a season structure that rewards iteration - and regional championship berths for the strongest teams.