Owls Sweep National Drone Competition

Last week, four teams from The Cane Institute for Advanced Technologies (TCI) at Florida Atlantic’s A.D. Henderson University School competed at the Drones in School National Competition in Denver, earning first through fourth place in the Middle School Division. Altogether, nine TCI teams qualified for nationals, highlighting our Owls’ tremendous interest and abilities toward STEM education.

The winning teams are: Six Degree Drone Racing (Alex De Andrade, Mason DeSiato, Arish Dotiwala, Preston Hoover, Benjamin Slive, Julian Slive); Lift-OFF (Zoey Agh, Leah Forman, Arianna Lian); P.I.C. (Jacob Antoun, Savannah Cipyak, Cameron Klopfer, Alana Pugatch, Lucas Santiago, Layna Sigelakis, Ellen Vance); and FastSpeeds (Aaron Estenos, Spencer Frankel, Gustavo Marrero Fuste, Lars Wiik).

During the championship, the teams worked with drones valued at $1 million as they applied their skills in aeronautics, engineering, project management and more. They also gained valuable insights about the technology from a wide range of industry experts. At ADHUS, about one in three students participate in an aeronautics class, which helped spark their interest in the tournament.

A competition sponsor and FAU supporter, Florida Power & Light also played a role in the teams’ success through its involvement with TCI. From providing industry insights to guidance on drone usage, we appreciate the company’s ongoing commitment to our students and programs.

Congratulations to all our talented and ambitious Owls who earned top honors at the Drones in School National Competition! I’d also like to thank the many teachers, staff members and supporters who contributed to their high accomplishments. We are incredibly proud of their early achievements, and I have great confidence in their continued success.