Johnson City, TN – 2026-27
What: RDL Championship
Who: Advancing Regional RDL Teams
Where: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
When: March 11-13, 2027
Time: TBD
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.
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 emergency response professionals.
EMERGENCY!! Urban Rescue unfolds on a 7.3 m by 11.0 m indoor field. 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 2026 Robot Drone League (RDL) EMERGENCY!! Urban Rescue challenge invites student teams to become the city's rescue teams. 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 urban disaster—tasks that involve solving problems that engineers and emergency response professionals tackle every day. The EMERGENCY!! Urban Rescue challenge emphasizes creativity, precision engineering, and systems-level teamwork. It offers hands‑on experience that connects STEM learning to real-world
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).
For more information about the RDL Competition, please contact:
● Dennis Courtney | CEO Email: dcourtney@streamworkseducation.org
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
