Where the classroom becomes the field.
Three real-world missions. One national leaderboard.
Build Fly Code Compete puts teams of students inside three workforce scenarios that actually exist. Drone-assisted emergency response. Search and rescue operations. Autonomous package logistics. The Hopper is the platform. The Activity Set is the field. The leaderboard is national.
This is not a simulation. Teams fly, program, and compete on the same hardware used in real autonomy training programs. Every match is scored. Every score is posted.
Each challenge maps to a real-world drone application. Teams rotate through all three. The field is the same. The strategy is entirely yours.
Four towers. Four fires. Two teams sharing the field. Pilots navigate Hopper through each tower entrance, descend, and land clean to extinguish a simulated fire. Precision earns points. Crashes cost them. Cleared towers are locked out. Strategy matters as much as stick skill.
A 20 by 10 foot zone. Seven landing pads scattered across the field, each marked by a 3D printed pyramid. Hopper flies with a hook attached. Pilots identify and retrieve survivors, returning each element to their starting pad. Distance and depth of field determine point value. Speed determines everything else.
Programmers take over. Using FTW Code, teams write autonomous flight sequences to land Hopper on seven marked delivery zones scattered across the field at varying heights. Each successful landing places a pyramid. Each pad captured is worth points. If both teams land on the same pad, the capture multiplier triggers. This one is won in the editor, not on the sticks.
The 2026 season runs in two competitive windows. Spring is live now. Fall opens later this year. Both seasons follow the same registration, practice, and submission structure.
Registration, submissions, and
in-person competitions. Details to follow.
Each team designates roles before the match begins. No one is just watching. Pilots handle manual flight. Programmers write and execute the autonomous code. Spotters track positions and call decisions. Mechanics handle resets between runs.
Every Compete field is a 20 by 10 foot zone built from the Activity Set. Adjustable towers, color-coded landing pads, and 3D printed game elements are included with every Compete-eligible bundle. Any classroom with enough floor space runs the full setup.
Scores are entered by the educator running the session. The leaderboard syncs in real time and ranks every team by challenge. Your best score per challenge counts. All schools in the season can see where they stand.
The virtual submission window is open now. Record your best match, upload the footage through the platform, and it will be reviewed and scored for the national ranking. Window closes May 25, 2026. Final rankings post May 31.
View Leaderboard →Complete field diagrams, exact measurements, scoring rules, 3D element specs, and challenge walkthroughs for all three missions are available inside the Build Fly Code platform. Platform access is included with every Compete bundle.
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