One lesson from each rung of the ladder. Download the teacher lesson plan, slide deck, and student workbook to see exactly what students do at every level.
The Hopper system includes a fully assembled drone, controller, batteries, multi-battery charger, carry/storage case, maintenance tools, safety glasses, spare motors, and spare propellers. Every component is designed and manufactured in the United States by For The Win Robotics in San Diego, California.
Hopper connects via Bluetooth for manual flight using the Hopper Controller, and via WiFi for telemetry data and autonomous flight programming through FTW Code. Use the FTW Fly app to update Hopper's firmware and verify connectivity before each session.
The FTW Fly app is available on iOS and Android. It serves as the primary software update vehicle for both Hopper and the Hopper Controller, and provides a user-centric interface for developing and testing flight strategies.
The Hopper Controller uses Bluetooth to communicate directly with the drone. Power on the controller and Hopper, then pair via the FTW Fly app if connecting for the first time. The left joystick controls altitude and rotation; the right joystick controls forward, backward, and lateral movement.
Always take off from a flat floor surface. Maintain at least three feet of clearance above any obstacles. The controller requires AAA batteries (included).
FTW Code is available in the app store (iPad only) and at www.ftwcode.ai.
FTW Code is a block-based programming platform designed to give students a fast and intuitive entry point into coding with drones. It enables users to program Hopper for autonomous flight, making it easy for students and educators to create repeatable flight routines and participate in coding challenges.
FTW Code is built to support future expansion, allowing for the integration of more advanced programming technologies and features as they become available.
Hopper uses LED light indicators to communicate its status. A solid green light indicates ready-to-fly status. Flashing patterns indicate pairing mode or low battery. Refer to the light patterns to diagnose connectivity, battery level, and flight mode before each session.
The Hopper Controller is designed and manufactured in the US. It uses a Nordic NRF5340 chip and communicates with Hopper via Bluetooth. Insert AAA batteries before first use. Power on by holding the center button until the indicator light activates. The controller auto-connects to a paired Hopper drone within range.
Hopper's 2MP articulated camera can be positioned at 45° (forward-facing) or 90° (downward-facing). The downward-facing position is used for optical flow stabilization; the forward-facing position enables visual data capture for programming exercises.
The easiest way to view the camera feed is through the FTW Fly app on iOS or Android, and it is also available in FTW Code during flight. To view the feed directly in a browser, power on the Hopper and connect your device to the Hopper's WiFi network, then go to http://192.168.2.1/. The live feed will load in the browser.
The included multi-battery charger supports up to 3 Hopper batteries simultaneously. Connect the charger via the included cable. Insert batteries into the charger slots — LED indicators show charging status per slot. A solid green light indicates a fully charged battery. Do not leave batteries unattended while charging. Store batteries at room temperature when not in use.
Hopper is a mini-UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) designed and manufactured by For The Win Robotics in San Diego, California. It is classified as a Category 1 drone weighing less than 250g and is fully compliant with Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Hopper is intended for indoor use only in educational and training environments.
The Hopper Controller is a purpose-built game-style controller designed for intuitive manual flight. It features two analog joysticks, trigger buttons, and a status LED. The controller communicates with Hopper via Bluetooth using the Nordic NRF5340 chip, the same platform used in the drone. All components are designed and manufactured by For The Win Robotics in San Diego, California.
Hopper is classified as a Category 1 unmanned aircraft weighing less than 250 grams. Under FAA guidelines, Category 1 drones operating indoors are not subject to FAA registration requirements. Hopper is designed for indoor use only.
Hopper is also compliant with Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), certifying it as free of prohibited foreign technology components — making it eligible for use in federal, defense, and government-funded educational programs.
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To everyone who owns a Hopper: thank you.
Some of you bought the very first Hopper in 2023. You believed before it was easy to, and we made you a promise, that it would get better, and better, and better.
We meant it every time we said we were close. We genuinely believed it, every time. The truth is it was harder than we imagined. Way, way harder. It took longer and cost more, in every sense, than we could have known. But we stood in it. For years. And then came the breakthrough.
Firmware 2.0 is here, and it is not a small step. It is a magnitude better, honestly a hundred times better than Hopper has ever flown. And every existing Hopper receives it, free, because that was always the promise.
We are proud of this one because we killed for it. And we couldn’t have done it without you. The early adopters gave us real feedback in real conditions, and that is exactly what now teaches an .ai platform that gets more intelligent with every flight, made smarter by the people in our network.
FTW is one of the few American drone companies that owns its entire telemetry and flight control stack. Wholly owned. Zero outside dependency. And it’s genuinely good. We have been teaching and learning on real systems, across the country, the whole way.
This July 4th, we shipped an American flight stack. And it’s actually good.