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Palm Harbor Today
By the People, for the People
Carwise Middle School Drone Team Soars to Regional Championship in Alabama
The only competitive middle school drone team in Pinellas County heads to Huntsville to compete against the top 50 teams in the Southeast.
Mar. 13, 2026 at 10:10pm
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The Carwise Middle School drone team, the only competitive middle school drone team in Pinellas County, Florida, has been invited to compete in the Southeast Regional Championship Drone Tournament in Huntsville, Alabama in April. The 16-member team will face off against the top 50 teams from across the southeastern United States in the high-level competition.
Why it matters
The Carwise drone program was only started two years ago, but the students have quickly developed impressive skills in piloting and programming drones. This regional championship represents a major milestone for the young team and highlights the growing popularity of drone technology education at the middle school level.
The details
The Aerial Drone Competition format the team competes in features two distinct fields of play. In the teamwork field, students must communicate constantly to use the drones to push ping-pong balls over obstacles and move them from one side to the other to score points. The solo performance field showcases individual pilot skills and requires students to use coding to navigate drones through a course without using a remote control.
- The Southeast Regional Championship takes place April 17-18, 2026.
- The Carwise Middle School drone program was started just two years ago.
The players
Ryan O'Shea
The STEM coordinator and drone coach who started the Carwise Middle School drone program.
Austin Klein
A seventh grader on the Carwise Middle School drone team who sees drones as an important and fun technology of the future.
Joshua Stoskus
An eighth grader on the Carwise Middle School drone team who credits the team's success to a mix of preparation and natural talent.
What they’re saying
“It was just an idea and the kids have taken it and ran with it, or flown with it. The amount of talent that these students have is just, it blows my mind. I thought I was good at flying drones myself, and then I see these kids fly.”
— Ryan O'Shea, STEM coordinator and drone coach (fox13news.com)
“Drones are just going to be used more and more, so it's just fun flying around having fun with a bunch of friends that's just like you that want to do the same exact thing.”
— Austin Klein, 7th grader (fox13news.com)
“It just depends on natural talent, natural instinct, just whether you've had experience with it before or just if you're a quick learner.”
— Joshua Stoskus, 8th grader (fox13news.com)
What’s next
The Southeast Regional Championship takes place April 17-18, 2026, where the Carwise Middle School drone team will compete against the top 50 teams in the region.
The takeaway
The Carwise Middle School drone team's invitation to the prestigious Southeast Regional Championship highlights the growing popularity and importance of drone technology education at the middle school level. Their success in just two years shows the immense talent and potential of these young students, who are developing critical STEM skills that will serve them well in the future.
