In collaboration with U.S. Drone Soccer, Droneversity and DWS Drone School are bringing drone soccer to Delaware with Wilmington as the state headquarters. It’s an effort by the two drone training schools to use eSports to stimulate the interest of teens and youth in math and science, provide careers in STEM fields as well as increase Delaware’s economic competitiveness as a global technology education and employment hub for aspiring drone operators.
U.S. Drone Soccer is played with flying quadcopters in protective plastic exoskeletons designed for full-contact gameplay and collisions. It is the only internationally sanctioned eSport recognized by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), and provides classroom lessons, and after-school leagues for ages 12 and up to immerse students in drone technology and aviation. Before competing, students must first learn to build, program, and repair their drones as a team. Currently, one million students are competing in robotics worldwide.
“The joy of flight is real. When a student flies, but then crashes and makes their first repairs — they’ve become an engineer for life,” says David Roberts, President of U.S. Drone Soccer, who previously took the U.S. Drone Racing Team to two FAI World Championships.
“This is a transformational opportunity to expand DWS Drone School’s National Teen Drone and Virtual Reality Technology Initiative to educate and employ teens,” said attorney Theophilus Nix, Jr., CEO of DWS Drone School.
Academic enrollment is now open for schools and summer camp providers. Equipment and training are available. More information about this emerging eSport can be found at USDroneSoccer.de.