Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy are building drones capable of being used in drone soccer competitions.
Mathy said he thinks the project is beneficial because of the various aspects included with it – particularly the transferrable skill of building the drones.
“It’s not only something they’re learning to fly,” Mathy said. “It’s something they’re learning to build.”
The high school drones class is open to students in grades 9-12 and takes place over half of the school year. The drones used in drone soccer are encased in protective materials shaped like a ball around them. Students opened their United States Drone Soccer kits from the Mohawk Regional Information Center on Monday, Oct. 21, and began building the drones and protective balls in class.
“They’re very focused on it,” Mathy said.
Mathy first heard about drone soccer when attending a MORIC presentation about data privacy.
“I said, ‘That’s really neat. That could be very interesting for our students,’” Mathy said.
Drone soccer was inspired by the fictional game Quidditch from Harry Power. There are opportunities to compete locally, and the first ever national championship took place in March 2023 at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica.
Mathy said he will monitor the interest level students have in competing and then see if they want to form a team to play drone soccer against other schools.
Students worked in groups in class to build the drones.
Ninth graders William Larzalere, Izaiah Petty, Lucas Brewer and William Li gathered around a drone together.
“I think it’s really fun,” Brewer said.
“It’s very immersive,” Larzalere said.
In another group, 10th grader Stephen Bennett and 11th grader Preston Harvey said they are looking forward to flying the drone and testing out playing drone soccer.
“It’s fun,” Bennett said, of the building process.
Ninth grader Mark Curran and 10th grader Thomas Goonan joked that the only part of the process they weren’t enjoying was when they dropped one of the tiny screws they were using and had to find it.
“It’s really fun,” Goonan said. “Can’t wait to see them in action.”
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: ninth graders Izaiah Petty, William Larzalere, Lucas Brewer and William Li.
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: 10th grader Stephen Bennett and 11th grader Preston Harvey.
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: 10th grader Thomas Goonan and ninth grader Mark Curran.
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: ninth graders Izaiah Petty, William Larzalere, Lucas Brewer and William Li.
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: 10th grader Stephen Bennett and 11th grader Preston Harvey.
Herkimer Central School District students in the high school drones class taught by technology integration specialist Richard Mathy began working in groups on Monday, Oct. 21, on building drones using United States Drone Soccer kits. From left: 10th grader Thomas Goonan and ninth grader Mark Curran.