Eastside HS & STEM Magnet Aerial Drone Competition

Join us on Saturday, November 7, 2026 for a day of exciting competition  as teams from across the region gather to compete in the Aerial Drone Competition season.

Our goal is to provide a professional, safe, and enjoyable event where students can demonstrate their piloting skills, engineering knowledge, and teamwork while creating lasting memories. Whether this is your team's first competition or you're returning for another season, we are committed to delivering an organized and welcoming experience for every participant.

Judging Information

Eastside HS & STEM Magnet is committed to providing a fair, consistent, and student-centered judging experience. All judging at this event will be conducted in accordance with the current REC Foundation Judging Guide and will be administered by trained volunteer judges.

Engineering Notebooks

Teams wishing to be considered for judged awards that require an Engineering Notebook must upload their digital submissions through the competition web portal.  The notebook submission deadline is midnight on Saturday October 31, 2026.  This pre-tournament deadline allows the judges to preview all the team notebooks prior to the day of the Tournament. 

Team Interviews

Team interviews will be conducted on a walk-up basis during the competition.

There are no scheduled interview times. Teams are encouraged to visit the judging area when they have sufficient time between matches and other competition activities. If necessary, a portion of the team may complete the interview while other team members continue preparing for or competing in matches.

During the interview, students should be prepared to discuss:

• Their Competition Logbook

• Communications Mission

• Coding/Autonomous Flight Mission

• Airmanship

• Challenges encountered and how they overcame them

• Lessons learned throughout the season

The safety and well-being of all participants, volunteers, and spectators is our highest priority. Eastside High School  STEM Magnet will conduct the tournament in accordance with LAUSD safety policy.

Safety is our highest priority.

Teams should:

• Follow all instructions from event staff.
• Never arm a drone outside designated flight areas.
• Handle batteries safely.
• Wear required safety equipment.
• Immediately report damaged drones or batteries.

Failure to follow safety procedures may result in removal from the competition area.

Medical Emergencies

If a participant or spectator experiences a medical emergency, immediately notify the nearest volunteer, Event Partner, or Tournament Director. Event staff will contact emergency medical services (EMS) if necessary and assist first responders in reaching the individual as quickly as possible.

For non-emergency first aid needs, please visit the Event Partner table or information desk.

Fire or Building Emergency

If the building must be evacuated, all participants should remain calm and follow directions provided by event staff, venue personnel, and emergency responders.

• Exit the building using the nearest safe exit.

• Coaches are responsible for ensuring all team members are accounted for.

• Do not re-enter the building until emergency personnel have declared it safe.

Severe Weather

Should severe weather occur, announcements will be made over the public address system and through event staff.

Participants may be directed to designated interior shelter areas until conditions improve. Please remain with your team and follow all instructions from event staff.

Lost Student

If a student becomes separated from their team, notify the Event Partner immediately. Volunteers will assist in locating the student while maintaining the student's privacy and safety.

Lost and Found

Items found during the event should be turned in to the Event Partner table. Found items will be held for the duration of the tournament. Any unclaimed items may be retained by the host organization or disposed of after a reasonable period.

Emergency Contacts

Event Partner: Mr. I. Hernandez

In the event of an emergency requiring evacuation or shelter-in-place, official instructions from emergency responders and event staff take precedence over the published event schedule. We appreciate everyone's cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for all participants.

Refund Policy

Eastside High School & STEM Magnet understands that schedules and circumstances can change throughout the competition season. To provide flexibility for teams while allowing us to effectively plan each event, the following refund policy applies unless otherwise noted on the event registration page.

Refund Schedule

• 14 or more calendar days before the event: 100% refund of the registration fee.

• 1–13 calendar days before the event: 50% refund of the registration fee.

• On the day of the event or after the event has begun: No refunds will be issued.

Event Withdrawals

If your team is unable to attend, please withdraw from the event through RECF Events and notify the Event Partner as soon as possible. Early notification allows waitlisted teams the opportunity to participate and helps us provide the best possible tournament experience for all teams.

Waitlisted Teams

When openings become available, teams on the waitlist will be invited in the order determined by the Event Partner. Prompt responses to waitlist invitations are appreciated to ensure timely registration.

Event Cancellation by STAR Warriors

If Eastside High School & STEM Magnet cancels an event for any reason, all registered teams will receive a full refund. Teams will be notified as soon as possible through RecfEvents and by email using the contact information provided during registration.

While Eastside High School & STEM Magnet is not responsible for expenses such as travel, lodging, or meals incurred by participating teams, we will make every effort to communicate cancellations promptly so teams can adjust their travel plans accordingly.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. This policy allows us to effectively plan venues, volunteers, judging, awards, and event logistics while continuing to provide a high-quality competition experience for every team.