U.S. Drone Soccer has recently been officially recognized as an AMA Special Interest Group. This SIG has a strong focus on youth education and announced, this month, the national launch of student leagues in Colorado, New York and Ohio.
What exactly is Drone Soccer?
The mission of U.S. Drone Soccer is to make aerospace careers accessible for all students. Drone Soccer is an educational esport that immerses students in aviation skills through classroom lessons and after school leagues for grades 6-12 (ages 12 and up). It is the only competitive student robotics program that is also a recognized international sport by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), which will demonstrate the sport at the World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama this July.
The game of Drone Soccer is played with flying quadcopters in protective exoskeletons designed for collisions. Five-player teams fly inside 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.
Drone Soccer and AMA: Safety First
All students who participate on U.S. Drone Soccer teams are enrolled as AMA members, and as such, agree to follow AMA’s safety code as part of learning about responsible aviation. Student team members will also complete a virtual course hosted by AMA that covers the basics of Drone Soccer safety and includes other related topics such as FAA’s The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).
Student leagues and tournaments will take place in Colorado, Ohio, and New York this year. The first national tournament will be held in Denver, Colorado on April 30th, 2022. Academic enrollment is now open for schools and summer camp providers.
More information about this emerging esport can be found at https://dronesoccer.us/