High school teams from North Carolina and Virginia competed on April 11 in a fast-paced drone competition inside the university’s South Gym, with top finishers advancing to a national competition in Florida.
Elon University’s growing connections within the drone education community came full circle on April 11, when the university hosted the U.S. Drone Soccer District IV Championship in South Gym for the first time.
The event brought together high school teams from North Carolina and Virginia for a fast-paced competition that blends strategy, engineering and flight skills — but for Randy Piland, the moment represented something bigger: the result of years spent building relationships through Elon Drone Day.
“It was not long after drone soccer launched in the U.S. that I became interested in the sport,” said the associate teaching professor of communication design who organizes Elon Drone Day. “I learned that Asheboro City Schools had a well-established team, so I reached out and invited them to Drone Day in 2023.”
That initial connection grew into a partnership that ultimately led to Elon serving as a host site for district-level competition, evolving from a demonstration at Elon Drone Day — where students introduced the sport to attendees — into a broader collaboration with educators and industry partners.
At a subsequent Elon Drone Day last fall, North Carolina State University contributed a drone soccer arena, while students from Asheboro City Schools returned to demonstrate the sport in action.
Those connections ultimately paved the way for Elon to host the District IV Championship after Anthony Woodyard, chief information officer for Asheboro City Schools, approached Piland about securing an on-campus venue. South Gym provided ample space for competition and spectators, along with convenient access for visiting teams. To see the drone soccer action, visit our Flickr photo gallery.
“When we launched Elon Drone Day, the goal was to create a space where people could learn about this rapidly evolving technology,” Piland said.
That vision continues to expand, with events like the district championship strengthening Elon’s role as a hub for drone education and innovation.
Piland teaches two courses at Elon that explore the growing role of unmanned aerial systems across industries.
Drones and Society: Balancing Innovation and Accountability, first offered as a COR Capstone last fall, examines the technology from multiple angles, including history, ethics and hands-on flight. This spring, Piland launched Drones 101: Takeoff to Career Paths, which introduces communications students to drone operations and their applications in fields ranging from media and environmental research to emergency response.
“The feedback we received on the district championship was very positive, and we hope we’ll be asked to host again next year,” Piland said.
Looking ahead, the Elon professor sees even more potential for growth — particularly in expanding access for local students.
“I’d like Elon, with some outside financial support, to organize after-school programs here in Alamance County where high school students can get involved in this fast-paced e-sport,” he said.
The six teams – 40 students in all – competing in the championship represented Asheboro City Schools, Wheatmore High School in Trinity, North Carolina, and an afterschool program sponsored by Virginia Tech.
The championship finals featured two Asheboro teams, with both advancing to the U.S. Drone Soccer 2026 National Championship, scheduled for May 18–19 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.