C-NS Students Participate in First Drone Soccer Showcase

	The Cicero-North Syracuse High School Robotics Club recently participated in New York’s first U.S. Drone Soccer Championship Showcase. On Sunday, April 3, the students, along with their C-NS instructor, Martin Miner, traveled to SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica for the event.   The showcase gave students the opportunity to demonstrate how Drone Soccer is played and to participate in some friendly competition with the CNY Drone organization and SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Student Technology Club.   Only one player on each team – the “striker” – can score by flying his or her drone through the circular goal post placed approximately 3 yards above ground. The remaining players must help their striker or prevent the opposition's 'striker' scoring by protecting their goal.
C-NS students participating in the Drone Soccer Event were; Dean Abdel (senior), Daniel Catalano (senior), Cameron Torres (senior), Nolan Fabela (sophomore), Colin Rath (sophomore) and Thomas Gorzka (sophomore). Michael Rivera (junior) is also part of the team but was unable to attend the showcase.
Click here to read more about the April 3 Showcase in the Utica Observer-Dispatch online article or click here to read the SUNY Polytechnic Institute article.   More information about Drone Soccer can be found on the CNY Drones website by clicking here. What is drone soccer?  Drone soccer is played with flying quadcopters in protective exoskeletons designed for collisions, according to information included in the student league announcement.  Five-player teams fly their drones inside a netted arena, where they ram and block an opposing team to prevent them from scoring.   Students who compete in drone soccer must first learn to build, program and repair the drones as a team.