Students put tiny aircraft to the test in drone racing competition

Teams raced each other Saturday during the Youth Drone Sports Championships at Benilde-St. Margaret's School in St. Louis Park.

Students used tiny 1-ounce drones and flew them with goggles that gave them a first-person view. For the students, it was like piloting in a cockpit.

"It's kind of like NASCAR racing but in 3D," said Will Schwietering, a senior at St. Louis Park High School. "So you race all over the place, you race through little hoops and LED courses."

Organizers say drone racing connects the real world to students interested in engineering. The competition is also designed to create a path for students to eventually become licensed pilots.