If you’ve never seen drone soccer in person, let me tell you — it’s as wild and electrifying as it sounds. I got to witness my very first live drone soccer tournament at Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025, and who better to break it all down than Makayla Galler, a standout figure in the drone soccer world.
She’s earned so many titles she’s lost track, so I went ahead and gave her one more: Drone Soccer Queen.
Watch our interview together here, including clips of drone soccer actually happening:
So how does Drone Soccer work?
“It’s kind of like Quidditch from Harry Potter,” Galler said. “It is a five-on-five sport where the drones are either descending or ascending… there’s typically three defenders flying in front of the goal, and the other two drones are going out to score.”
That’s ten drones flying at once. They’re bumping, dodging, and even smashing into each other in mid-air. It’s fast, it’s decently loud, and it’s absolutely thrilling to watch.
So, how does drone soccer scoring work?
It mostly comes down to a drone called the Striker.
“That drone is the only drone that can actually get a score,” Galler said. “It flies through the hoop, and it has to cross the midpoint line in their arena to get another point. All the drones have to have crossed that point as well to score again.”
Drone soccer matches are played in a best-of-three format, and between each round, teams get five minutes to repair their drones — which they often desperately need.
What skills do you need to play drone soccer?
The answer might surprise you.
“Anybody can be good at it,” Galler said. “It just takes some practice… once you get that confidence and know, like, ‘Hey, I can do this,’ you start to progress.”
It’s not just about flying, either. Mechanical skills play a big role — knowing your way around a screwdriver or soldering iron can make all the difference when a prop snaps mid-match.
“Getting to learn as a student really is pretty cool,” she added.
Where can drone soccer take you?
Galler and I met up in Palm Springs, a city we both traveled to. She’s currently a student at Arizona State University, where she is studying Aeronautical Management Technology. There, stuudents learn about all things Unmanned Aerial Systems and Air Transportation Management.
But as USA Drone Soccer Team captain, she’s competed all sorts of places, even internationally.
Her favorite destination so far?
“I would say South Korea,” she said. “Back in 2023 at the IDA World Championship… That was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had.”
South Korea, she says, is like the epicenter of drone soccer innovation.
“I think they’re like ten years in advance or something out there,” she laughed, adding that drone soccer’s growth is just beginning.
“From here, I think it’s going to go way over, beyond — all over the world,” she said. “I know here in the U.S. they’re popping up in each different state… I think this sport is probably going to make the Olympics one day.”
You heard it here first. Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the full interview, and get more videos like this. And for even more behind-the-scenes drone content, follow @TheDroneGirl on Instagram. And don’t forget to give Makayla Galler a follow, too! She’s on Instagram as @pilotmakg.
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