Major League Drone Racing Brings Championship Showcase to Phoenix School

Major League Drone Racing held its MLDR(2) World Championship showcase match at Legacy Traditional School, 4545 N 99th Ave in Phoenix, on Jan. 7, 2026. The event opened to the public in the afternoon and ran through the evening, with gates and activities beginning at 3:00 PM and formal racing scheduled to start at 6:00 PM. The headline competition featured the Florida Raptors facing the California Sea Dragons in preliminary heats, elimination rounds and a championship heat.

Organizers framed the event as a family-friendly festival. On-site attractions included a car show, a vendor village, food trucks, drone simulators and designated kid zones. The agenda also provided a meet-and-greet opportunity with pilots and vendor opportunities for local sellers and service providers. General admission was free, making the event accessible to families, students and curious newcomers who wanted to see live drone racing without an entry fee.

For the local community the event served multiple roles. Hosting a high-profile MLDR showcase at a neighborhood school offered direct exposure to drone racing as both a spectator sport and an entry point into STEM activities. Drone simulators and kid zones gave children practical, hands-on experiences that can spark interest in piloting and engineering. The vendor village and meet-and-greet connected fans with pilots and put small businesses in front of a new crowd, while the pairing with a car show helped broaden the audience beyond typical drone racing followers.

From a competitor and league perspective, the schedule of heats and elimination rounds mirrored professional formats and allowed visiting teams to demonstrate high-speed, head-to-head racing in a community setting. Running the racing portion in the evening created a visual showcase under lights, a format that tends to draw casual viewers and families who come after work or school.

The event’s free admission and school-based location lowered typical barriers to entry for those curious about drone racing, while the combination of entertainment and competitive sport gave attendees both a fun outing and a clear view of the technical skill involved. Local organizers and participants will be watching whether this model—combining community festival elements with championship-level racing—becomes a recurring way to grow the sport and develop new pilots from the neighborhood up.