How TryDronesTM Competitions Work
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Receive Standardized Drone Kits + Curriculum
Choose from 5 TryDronesTM divisions
Teacher Training With Drone Experts
Join Ongoing Interactive Training Sessions
Local, Regional, and National Competitions
Start With Your Local Competition And Join The TryDrones US National Leaderboard
TryDronesTM Is For Everyone! A Guide For Choosing Your Division
Request A Demo
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Division 1
Grades 7-12
• High schools starting a new drone program
• HS students who have not worked with drones before
• MS and HS students who have worked with STEM drones and ready for a more technical drone
• HS teachers with no drone experience
• MS teachers with some drone experience looking for more structured curriculum
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Division 2
Grades 9-12
• HS Students with some robotics competition experience and ready for something new
• HS students who have worked with STEM drones and ready for a more technical drone
• HS students on a pathway to drone pilot license certification
• HS teachers with some drone experience looking for more structured curriculum
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Division 3
Grades 10-12
• HS Students who excel in robotics competitions and are ready for the next challenge
• HS 3rd and 4th year Robotics, CS, Engineering, CTE students
• HS students preparing for FAA Part 107 drone pilot license certification
• HS students who love to code advanced CS applications
• HS students who will potentially enter the drone career field after high school
• HS teachers with technical drone experience looking for an advanced drone
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NEW Coding Division
Grades 6-12
• Schools starting a new drone program
• Students who have never worked with drones before
• STEM teachers who want to integrate coding into the curriculum
• Students who love coding
• Teachers with no drone experience
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Junior Division
Grades 6-8
• Middle schools starting a new drone program
• MS students who have never worked with drones before
• MS students who have worked with STEM drones and want to focus on piloting and competitions
• MS teachers with no drone experience
TryDronesTM Frequently Asked Questions
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I am not sure which division to choose.
The most appropriate division depends on a combination of grade level and experience level of the students and you (the teacher). We can help! Please contact TryDronesTM and one of our team members will assist you in choosing the best division for your program.
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Do I need my drone pilot license to facilitate TryDronesTM for my students?
No. All TryDronesTM divisions can be practiced within the enclosed competition arena without the need for a pilot license.
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When are the TryDronesTM competitions?
The national TryDronesTM Competition is by virtual submission on a rolling basis so that the competition can fit in with your academic goals and timelines. The winners are announced in the last week of May every year. Each new competition cycle begins on June 1st.
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Is registering for the TryDronesTM competition required?
No, the annual registration fee is optional and is required only if you want your students to be considered for the national TryDronesTM Competition. If you don’t want to register for the national competition, you have everything you need to hold your own local (school-level or district-level) competition without entering the national TryDronesTM Competition.
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Does the registration expire?
Your registration covers all teams for each school site and is only activated when you submit your first competition entry to TryDronesTM. Once your registration becomes active, you become a part of the current competition cycle and will not need to register again until the next cycle.
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What are the recurring costs of the competition?
Only the optional LocoRobo registration fee is annual when activated. The TryDronesTM kits and curriculum are a one-time purchase. The drone kits are reusable, and the curriculum can be reset for new students. Of course, just like any other robotics kits, there are some consumables (for example: batteries, nuts, and bolts). Our team will work with you to plan for some future hardware replacement costs based on the package(s) you choose.
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Can TryDronesTM be for after-school programs or summer camps?
Yes! Absolutely. TryDronesTM comes with a versatile curriculum that includes milestones and assessments for STEM classrooms. This curriculum allows educators to bring TrydronesTM to any educational setting.
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Is there an additional cost for teacher training?
All TryDronesTM packages include FREE virtual orientations and rolling training that is conducted by our team on a weekly basis. That said, one-on-one training and district-wide training sessions are available for purchase. Please contact us for more information.
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How do purchasing and registration work?
We accept purchase orders and checks from educational institutions. Please fill out our contact form to request a quote, and someone from our team will contact you within 24 hours.
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How long does TryDronesTM take to complete?
At the rate of 45 minutes to 1 hour per day, it is 8-10 weeks for TrydronesTM Division 1, 10-12 weeks for TrydronesTM Division 2, 15-25 weeks for TrydronesTM Division 3, and 4-6 weeks for TryDrones Coding Division and TrydronesTM Junior.
If you have other questions, please contact us.