Nationwide Drone Competition for High School Students
Drones have soared in popularity in recent years, delighting hobbyists who fly them while revolutionizing industries including aerial photography, the military, agriculture, and the environment. These remote-controlled aircraft are inspiring students to gain hands-on drone experience before college or the workforce.
Aerospace Robotics Competition
The Aerospace Robotics Competition (ARC) is an exciting hands-on drone competition and educational experience in aerospace engineering for teens. High school students learn to code in Python, build and operate a drone, get FAA certified, develop technical communication skills, and work as a team. This is an excellent opportunity for students to get real and relevant engineering experience and interact with like-minded peers and volunteers from industry and academia.
The program’s popularity has grown from 3 teams in the early years to at least 65 teams in 5 regions, with a national competition in 2025. Teachers, parents, and students have provided extremely positive feedback- 100% of teachers/parents noticed increased STEM interest, and 79% of 2024 students said the program increased their STEM interest.
“I gained a love for aerospace, AutoCAD, and drones, and I intend to build a drone and receive my drone pilot license in the future.” – High School Student
The Organization Behind the Competition
Col. (ret) Tucker Hamilton, an Experimental Fighter Test Pilot, founded the volunteer-run nonprofit STEM-ED in 2013 to empower students through hands-on STEM education. Inspired by his work with DC’s inner-city youth, he partnered with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) professionals to create the Aerospace Robotics Competition, teaching students about uncrewed aircraft systems. STEM-ED uniquely emphasizes both technical skills and ethical responsibility in aerospace innovation. This focus ensures that the next generation of innovators is skilled and mindful of their creations’ impact on society.
How to Participate in the Drone Competition
ARC is a year-long project that culminates in regional and national competitions that award cash prizes to the top teams. Students build, program, and fly drones with hands-on piloting and fully autonomously. They compete against other teams in missions meant to test engineering and flying skills and replicate real-world applications and scenarios.
Students must be of high school age to be eligible for cash prizes. Team sizes are typically around five students. There are currently five regions: Antelope Valley and San Diego on the west coast and New England, Philadelphia, and Washington DC on the east coast. If there is no competition in your area, you can travel to a regional event.
Most students participate in ARC through an afterschool club, although a few schools run the club as part of their drone or science programs.
No experience is required; however, each team must have an adult coach. Teams will find it helpful to find a coach with some engineering or drone experience. The coach should also help keep students on schedule, although students largely manage the work themselves, and pick up valuable project management skills along the way! STEM-ED also provides coach training, video tutorials, and virtual office hours.
Costs include a $500 registration and $650-$850 for the drone kit and supplies. There are some miscellaneous costs for building the mechanisms to attach to the drone for different missions. Teams must not spend more than $2800 on their materials and must detail their budget and spending in their technical presentation. This limits any advantages teams may have by buying fancy equipment and sensors.
Regional competitions are in April and May, and the National Competition is June 6-7, 2025, in New Hampshire.
Registration for the 2025 season is open for the standard fee until December 13, 2024. Registrations after December 13 are accepted and will be subject to a late fee.
View the 2024/2025 competition rulebook for full details about the program and contact [email protected] with questions.
Other Drone Engineering Opportunities
Summer is a great time to explore aerospace engineering. STEM-ED runs a drone summer camp at Saint Anselm College in NH, providing students with an introduction to computer programming, aerial drone flying, and ethics. Drobots Company has drone summer camps in several states. You can also find drone camps by searching for programs in your local community.
Image Credit: STEM-ED
