Drone Soccer Takes Flight at SUNY Canton

Teams from Madrid-Waddington Central School swept the top two places during the Academy of Model Aeronautics District II drone soccer qualifier competition held Saturday in SUNY Canton’s Dana Hall gym.

Five teams competed at the event in front of a slew of onlookers. Madrid-Waddington’s gold team took first place while their navy team took second place. Airborne Anarchy from Gouverneur battled their way into third, and the Salmon River Shamrocks claimed fourth. In fifth place was the Utica Academy of Science Mega Knights.

Competition organizer Michelle Burke, who teaches technology at Madrid-Waddington and is an adjunct instructor at SUNY Canton, said drone soccer can be a launch point for the next generation of engineers, pilots and problem-solvers.

“Students are not just flying drones; they are building, programming, troubleshooting, and strategically refining complex systems in real time,” she said. “In a rural region like ours, it provides access to cutting-edge technology experiences that many students would not otherwise encounter, helping them see themselves as innovators and leaders in emerging industries.”

Drone soccer is a fast-paced five-versus-five co-ed aerial sport that combines competition, technology and teamwork. Played inside a netted arena, students pilot radio-controlled drones protected by spherical cages racing through the air to score by flying through their opponents’ goal ring.

Each team features a designated striker, forward, defenders and a goalie. The striker’s job is to attack the opposing team's goal with support from the forward. While they try to score as many goals as possible, the defenders and goalie protect their own ring from the opponent’s striker from passing through it.

Daxton Bolton, a senior from Gouverneur Central School, serves as the striker and team commander for Airborne Anarchy.

“My drone is noticeably faster than all the drones on my team,” Bolton said. “Defense drones are a little slower than me, and our goalie drone is supposed to be very slow and heavy.”

Phebe Grandy, a junior from Madrid-Waddington and an experienced Drone Soccer player, explained several common strategies used in the game. Offensively, teams often push a forward up the field to clear a path for the striker, improving the chance of scoring. Defensively, teams may crowd the goal area with multiple players to block entry or use more unconventional tactics. “We used to put someone on top of the net, so when they dropped down, it threw off the other team’s drone and made it hit everything,” Phebe said.

The sport blends high-speed action with hands-on technical experience, helping athletes develop skills in aviation, engineering, teamwork, and leadership.