Aerial Drone Competition
Location:
Typically regional and national events held across the U.S.; many local qualifiers take place in school gyms or robotics venues—universally offered in person; not virtual only
Cost:
Varies by school or regional host; team registration is required. Teams pay fees, but discounts apply—in schools registering multiple teams, additional teams incur no fee until reaching a higher threshold
Contest Date:
Registration opens around June; rules released in early September; qualifying events run October through March; team registration deadline typically late December (~Dec 19, 2025 for Mission 2026)
Application Deadlines:
Team registration must be complete by the deadline (e.g., December 19 for Mission 2026)
Eligibility:
Open to middle and high school students registered on a team. Students must be born after specific cutoff dates (e.g. after May 1, 2006 for high school competitors) and may compete up or down as needed
The Aerial Drone Competition (by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation) is a STEM-focused program for students in grades 5–12. Participants work in teams to pilot drones through mission-based challenges involving autonomous programming, teamwork, technical documentation, and real-world problem-solving. The competition promotes skills like drone flight control, coding, communication, and collaboration across a series of four missions—teamwork, autonomous flight, piloting, and communication
Please note: This information is compiled from publicly available sources and may change from year to year. Dates, locations, fees, and other details are subject to updates—please verify all information directly on the official competition website before applying.