Drone Soccer Arena on a Budget: Ditch the Valance

Andrew Dodson /// 03/09/2022

As drone soccer sweeps the U.S., the governing body of the e-sport is finding ways to make it more accessible to high schools across the country.


TentCraft, the official arena provider of U.S. Drone Soccer, has developed professional-grade netted drone enclosures using our heavy-duty MONARCHTENT frames. The next step was to manufacture a practice arena at an affordable price point that’s attractive to middle and high schools interested in launching a drone soccer program.


To make that happen, TentCraft utilized its medium-duty mightyTENT frame, which also features a head clearance of 11 feet for the sport. To shave additional cost off the practice arena, U.S. drone soccer opted to not include a valance at the top of the frame. Netting remains at the top of the cage to prevent drones from flying out the top of the structure.


Professional drone soccer arenas include a valance — often custom-printed with a logo or school’s name — that’s tightly wrapped around the top of the netted enclosure for a polished look.


netted drone enclosure for drone soccer
A look at a budget drone soccer arena inside the TentCraft production facility in Traverse City, MIchigan.

Drone Soccer is played with flying quadcopter drones in protective cages that are designed for collisions. Five-player teams pilot the drones inside a netted arena, where they work to block the opposing team from scoring a goal. Matches are played in a best of three sets.


There are currently Drone Soccer teams in Colorado, Ohio, and New York. The first national tournament is being held in Denver on April 30, 2022.


All TentCraft tents and structures (including drone soccer arenas) are manufactured, handcrafted, and customized in the company's headquarters and production facility in Traverse City, Michigan. Contact our team to learn more about drone soccer arenas.


About TentCraft

We’re more than just custom pop up tents — TentCraft is a premium fabricator of all things experiential marketing and outdoor advertising. If it combines metal, fabric and print our team of skilled craftsmen can transform any napkin sketch or wild idea into a fully realized project. Serving the biggest brands on the planet as well as your local High School, if you want the perfect blend of quality and American craftsmanship, we’ve got you covered.