Johnson City, TN – 2026

 

What: RDL | RDL Jr. Championship

Who: Advancing Regional RDL | RDL Jr. Teams

Where: East Tennessee State University,  Johnson City, Tennessee

When: March 27th, 3 - 7 PM; and  28th, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

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This exciting event will bring together students from diverse backgrounds to compete in a collaborative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) game format. Admission is free for the general public.

 

 

 

 

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The RDL Competition is designed to engage students in hands-on, student-centered learning, fostering essential skills for the 21st Century workforce. This year's challenge revolves around problem solving and creating innovative solutions centered around the American mining industry. 

 

MOONBASE unfolds on a 7.3 m by 11.0 m indoor field, featuring simulated agricultural fields, water and power sources, and a mysterious mineshaft to facilitate the recovery of valuable ore. The competition involves four teams competing as red or blue alliances, with both sides mirroring each other. Participants will tackle real-world STEM challenges, emphasizing machine design and collaboration to maximize their scores.

 

The 2025 Robot Drone League (RDL) MOONBASE challenge invites student teams to envision and enact the Artemis program’s ambitious goal of establishing a permanent lunar base. In this season’s competition, Middle and High School teams design, build, and pilot robots and drones to execute mission‑critical tasks in a simulated lunar environment—tasks that might reflect resource harvesting, habitat setup, research operations, and support for the lunar Gateway station. Inspired by NASA’s efforts to shift from short-term visits toward sustainable lunar presence, the MOONBASE challenge emphasizes creativity, precision engineering, and systems-level teamwork. It offers hands‑on experience that connects STEM learning to real-world aerospace challenges, pushing teams to think like Artemis engineers as they plan and refine robotic solutions in service of humanity’s next giant leap. 

 

A strong emphasis on computer science programming is central to RDL, with drones and robots executing complex tasks. Students will collaborate to create complex algorithms and code for autonomous drone and robot operations.

 

The RDL Competition aligns with educational standards such as the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21), Common Core, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

 

Doors open at 8:00 AM and an Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 9:00 AM. The competition is expected to conclude at 4:00 PM.

 

For more information about the RDL Competition, please contact:

● Dennis Courtney | CEO Email: dcourtney@streamworkseducation.org

 

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About ETSU: ETSU provides a student-centered community of learning, reflecting high standards and promoting a balance of liberal arts and professional preparation, and continuous improvement. Visit: etsu.edu

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