by Liv Whitlock

Over the course of the 2022-2023 school year, national champions emerged from the Bellbrook Hog Flyers. “The most significant factor in our success was preparedness,” Team Leader Rylan Carper said. They are looking forward to more wins this year.

“While some people don’t know this, our team is judged on a lot more than just racing,” Carper said. “And a lot of it is created before we actually show up on competition day.”

The team doesn’t buy a random drone for competition. They create all the drones they use. They spend weeks modeling, prepping, and testing until they reach a final product. 

“Last year our drones would often run out of battery after around a minute and a half. It needs to be two minutes, so we had to redesign our entire drone to hold a bigger battery,” Carper said. 

This battery dilemma was just one of the many hurdles the team had to overcome. There was also a problem balancing schedules with the different working parts of their team. “Last year we accomplished a lot in the last few months and very little in the first few,” Carper said. “Dividing it more evenly would have definitely been smarter for the team’s sleep schedules.”

“Our team also has a very different dynamic from a lot of the other teams around the country. We benefit from being extremely close,” Carper said. “This contrasts the hyper formal relationships of the vast majority of the other teams.” 

The 2023-2024 competition season began November 1. 

This season is going to be the toughest yet, but Carper explained how they’re leveling up alongside their competition. “This year our team has branched out drastically with our design. We’re looking to elevate everything we did well last year,” Carper said.

“Our team thrived with the quality of our technical materials like the marketing video, portfolio, and display board, so moving forward we are going to expand and refine these aspects as much as possible to further separate us from other teams.” 

The Hog Flyers has a variety of virtual and in-person competitions on the calendar. On December 20 from 12:30 – 3:00, right after exams, Bellbrook is hosting its first ever drone event. 

The Hog Flyers are currently seeking sponsorships to support the financial needs of their team. To learn more, go to their website, https://hogflyers.com/