U.S. Drone Soccer Association to Hold 2025 U.S. Drone Soccer National Championship in Oneida County

The U.S. Drone Soccer National Championship is headed to the Empire State.

The U.S. Drone Soccer Association has partnered with Oneida County and CNY Drones to bring the 2-day event to SkyDome at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York on May 2-3.

The U.S. Drone Soccer 2025 National Championship is slated to host an unprecedented top 24 Drone Soccer teams from across the USA. Student aviators have been competing for months in a series of District and Regional contests that began last September and will culminate with the National Championship at the Skydome.

SkyDome is the largest known indoor Anechoic Chambered Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) experimentation facility in the United States and part of the New York State UAS Test Site (NYSUASTS), which is owned and operated by Oneida County.

"The U.S. Drone Soccer mission is to inspire students to pursue education and careers in aerospace and science, and there's simply no location more inspiring than SkyDome," said David Roberts, President and Founder of the Association.

Hundreds of students and coaches from over 28 states will participate in the Championship, where they will not only engage in intense competition but also gain valuable exposure to practical career pathways in aviation, aerospace, and UAS research.

"We are thrilled to welcome the 2025 U.S. Drone Soccer National Championship to Oneida County," said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. "Bringing this innovative and inspiring competition to SkyDome is a perfect fit for what we do here. As a national leader in uncrewed aircraft systems research and development, Oneida County is proud to host events that not only highlight cutting-edge technology but also engage and empower the next generation of aerospace professionals."

As an official FAI-sanctioned event, the team that takes the top spot in the Championship will formally become Team USA, and represent the United States internationally during the 2025-2026 season. Additionally, Team USA will be invited to the FAI F9A 2025 World Drone Soccer Championship in Shanghai, China on November 2, 2025.

Competition begins at 2 p.m. on May 2 and will culminate with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m. on May 3.

Attendance to the two-day event is limited to teams, family members and sponsors, but the general public can watch via livestream here. 

The U.S. Drone Soccer Association is a 501c3 (EIN 99-0616654) dedicated to student success. Our mission is to inspire students to pursue education and careers in aerospace and science by providing a hierarchy of competitions and events that highlight student skills in engineering, aviation, teamwork, and leadership.