BROCKTON, MA – Brockton students recently competed in STEM-ED, Inc.’s 3rd National Aerospace Robotics Competition, coming in first place in the high school and middle school divisions. The competition brought together 12 teams from across the United States.
Team Quadcopter and The Flyers, supported by Empower Yourself LTD, designed, constructed, and tested aerial drones to compete in complex challenges. Teams also presented their projects to a judging panel, highlighting the building process, team organization, and problem-solving skills. This is the first year that the competition expanded to include middle school students. ARC helps students learn engineering and coding concepts.
Event Highlights
The competition kicked off with student technical presentations in the Melucci Theater at the Roger and Francine Jean Student Center on the campus of Saint Anselm College. Teams presented their engineering designs, testing methodologies, and lessons learned before a panel of judges. The evening concluded with a networking dinner generously sponsored by AIAA New England.
Despite challenging weather conditions that once again forced competition activities indoors, students demonstrated remarkable adaptability and resilience. Teams quickly adjusted to the modified environment and delivered impressive performances, highlighting the problem-solving and teamwork skills that define the ARC program.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Aerospace Leaders
The Aerospace Robotics Competition is a fully volunteer-run program of STEM-ED, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ARC provides immersive, affordable STEM experiences that introduce students to aerodynamics, robotics, programming, and engineering design while developing leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
ARC is one of the few student aerospace competitions in the nation that combines technical presentations, flight operations, and robotics challenges into a single comprehensive program, providing students with a unique opportunity to develop both engineering and real-world operational skills.
As ARC continues to grow nationwide, the program remains committed to making aerospace and robotics education accessible to students from diverse backgrounds and communities.
"Bringing together 75 students from both coasts to compete, collaborate, and learn from one another is exactly what ARC is all about," said Tucker Hamilton, CEO and founder of STEM-ED. "These students aren't just building drones—they're developing the leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that will help shape the future of aerospace and technology."
Thank You to Our Partners
The 2026 National Competition was made possible through the generous support of the Center for Ethics at Saint Anselm College, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, First Aviation Services, and AIAA New England. Their partnership helps create meaningful opportunities for students to explore STEM pathways and prepare for future careers in aerospace and technology.
Get Involved
STEM-ED welcomes individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in supporting the next generation of innovators. Opportunities include sponsorships, volunteer involvement, equipment donations, and event-hosting partnerships. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Learn More: www.stemed.org