Drones

Launch of nationwide drone soccer leagues

The US Drone Soccer Leagues are kicking off today with a kickstart campaign to fund aviation education in Colorado, New York and Ohio.

Perhaps one of the coolest sports out there, US Drone Soccer gives kids as young as 12 their first aviation experience and paves the way for a career in aerospace.
With classroom instruction and after-school drone soccer leagues for grades 6-12, drone soccer is recognized as an international sport by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI). Drone soccer will be demonstrated at the July 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Drone Soccer game is played with flying quadcopters in protective exoskeletons designed for collisions. Five player teams fly into a netted arena where they ram and block the opposing team to prevent them from scoring. Students who compete during the academic year must first learn to build, program, and repair their drones as a team.

“The joy of flying is real. If a student flies but then crashes and makes their first repairs – that’s when they become engineers for life,” says David Roberts, President of US Drone Soccer, who previously led the US Drone Racing Team to two FAI World Championships.

It took more than a year of testing with students and teachers to create a drone that would stand up to the abuses of the sport – and meet the demands of a modern classroom – but the Saker DS200 “Bantam” Drone Soccer Ball is ready to endure Area. The Saker DS200 “is affordable, durable and easy to repair with basic tools,” the press release says. “Open source software allows students to rebuild and reprogram the drone for deeper learning, and professional development courses help teachers succeed without prior knowledge.”

Introduction of national drone soccer leagues

The drone industry needs more skilled pilots, more engineers and more diversity: drone football is winning on all fronts. It is a blended sport that gives all players the opportunity to participate in the aviation culture of responsibility. “Drone Soccer is growing in partnership with educational nonprofits like the Academy of Model Aeronautics, which offer pilot insurance and courses for students to complete the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) with the FAA.”

Student leagues and tournaments will be held in Colorado, Ohio and New York this year, and the first national tournament will be held in Denver, Colorado on April 30, 2022.

US Drone Soccer is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado along with more than 60 national and international sports agencies. Academic enrollment is now open to schools and summer camp providers. Gear sales are available through official arena locations and will only be sold to individuals during a limited Kickstarter campaign through February 2022.

For more information on this up-and-coming esport, visit https://dronesoccer.us

Read more about drone soccer: the awesome new sport and the Colorado Springs Tourney.

Miriam McNabb is Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a marketplace for professional drone services, and is a fascinated observer of the burgeoning drone industry and drone regulatory environment. Miriam has authored over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam graduated from the University of Chicago and has over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for emerging technologies.
For advice or writing in the drone industry email Miriam.

Twitter: @spaldingbarker

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