Drone soccer grows in popularity |
On Board Online • February 2, 2026
By George Basler
Special Correspondent
Scott Reigle, a 15-year-old sophomore at Owego Free Academy, puts on a pair of safety glasses and reviews a check list that includes batteries and repair tools.
That's how he prepares to play drone soccer, which is gaining in popularity in schools in New York and across the country.
Students build drones from a kit, then program them using aviation software. Their arena is a 10-foot by 20-foot area where students fly sphere-shaped drones that often strike each other.
Teams score points when the "striker drone" manages to fly through the opposing team's circular goal.
"The matches are exhilarating, that's all I can say," said Reigle who flies the striker drone for Owego Free Academy's team.
Drone soccer was invented in South Korea in 2016. In the U.S., four schools played matches in 2021. Now more than 300 schools in 38 states have teams, according to figures from the U.S. Drone Soccer Association.
Each month, between eight and 10 new teams join a league somewhere in the United States, said David Roberts, co-founder and president of the association, which oversees rule making and promotes the sport.
A match consists of three three-minute sets. One student flies the striker drone, and four others fly mini-drones that work strategically to block the other team's striker drone from passing through their goal. A pit crew of students work as technicians to make needed repairs after inevitable damage from collisions.
Teams, which must be co-ed, are grouped geographically into 11 districts across the country. New York has 45 teams in District II, which also includes New Jersey.
Owego Free Academy competes in the Greater Southern Tier (GST) Drone Soccer League. Now in its second season, the league is a collaboration between the GST BOCES Regional Information Center and GST BOCES Model Schools.
It's a way to combine career development with STEM education, said Myron Rumsey, manager of innovation, programming and project management for GST BOCES.
Eleven school districts participate in the Greater Southern Tier league. They qualify for state BOCES aid to help pay startup costs, which can run as high as $20,000.
Owego Free Academy joined the league to expand its robotics program and provide another challenge for students, said John Heath, a technology teacher and co-coach at Owego Free Academy.
Drone soccer is fast-paced and can turn on a dime, he said. "I immediately thought it was exciting. It was like engineering in action," he said.
Along with co-coach Steve Bingley, Heath helped 13 students program the drones and develop a checklist of jobs and strategies to prepare for competitions. Trouble shooting and paying attention to details are key, he said.
Lillie Kneller, 16, a sophomore, joined the team because she's interested in pursuing a career in aerospace engineering. It's been a good learning experience, she said. Moreover, "I like the people a lot. There are people I wouldn't be friends with unless I had this," she added.
One of the best things about drone soccer is that it attracts a wide range of students, said Heidi Van Woert, supervisor of innovative solutions at GTS BOCES, who helped plan the league.
Seeing teams battle each other while also supporting each other and building community is a welcome sight, she said.
Spencer-Van Etten, another school in the league, organized a middle school team to go along with one at the high school.
"I credit it to my students. They came in 'hooked' and begged for extra practices," said Brenda Robbins, co-coach of the Spencer-Van Etten teams.