The Drone Racing League and the United States Air Force Announce Groundbreaking Initiative to Elevate Women in Sports and Technology

DRL unveils "Women Taking Flight" to recruit women pilots and spotlight women pursuing underrepresented career paths

NEW YORK, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Drone Racing League (DRL), the world's premier professional drone racing property, today unveiled "DRL's Women Taking Flight," a historic program to elevate women in sports, technology and aviation. DRL's longest standing partner, the U.S. Air Force, signed on as a founding partner of the initiative, which will launch drone racing competitions, esports tournaments, and STEM curriculum to recruit the best women drone pilots to fly in DRL and the U.S. Air Force, and encourage all women to rise in traditionally male-dominated spaces.

Helping to close the gender gap in the workplace and shift the DEI narrative in sports and technology, DRL's Women Taking Flight will shine a spotlight on women who compete in tech-powered sports and are more likely to pursue STEM careers: DRL's female fandom recently quadrupled in size, and 70% of DRL's 90 million young, global tech-obsessed fans do not follow the Big 5 leagues.

"The Drone Racing League is a fierce champion of diversity and inclusion, and we are excited to partner with the U.S. Air Force to further level the playing field in sports and technology. Our DRL Women Taking Flight platform will inspire women and girls to pursue their dream careers as drone pilots, athletes and engineers while helping them develop their skills so they can compete on the highest stages," said DRL President Rachel Jacobson.

DRL's Women Taking Flight program will invite top women drone racers to train with DRL Champion Pilots and compete in an esports tournament on the DRL SIM, the true-to-life drone racing video game, for a chance to receive a professional contract in the league. The winning pilot will be named a DRL Pilot, participating in DRL races and supporting DRL's upcoming "Girls Taking Flight" STEM course to encourage girls to aim high and pursue tech, sports and aviation careers.

"The Drone Racing League continues to be a valued partner that shares our passion for technology, speed and precision. Through the DRL Women Taking Flight program, the Air Force is able to connect with a talented group of drone pilots, as well as tech innovators and their audience," said Barry Dickey, Air Force Recruiting Service's Chief Marketing Officer. "DRL, and this partnership, helps us inform women of opportunities in the Air Force and Space Force, so we're thrilled to help these women pilots soar to new heights and Aim High."

Business Insider revealed last year that the top "dream job" in the world is to be a pilot, underscoring the global popularity of pilots and flight. DRL's newest media partner ReachTV, a free ad-supported streaming television network, will share DRL and "Women Taking Flight" content to their more than 50 million monthly travelers.

The DRL Women Taking Flight initiative aims to foster gender equity in sports, technology, and aviation, which struggle with gender disparity: Women currently make up around just 5% of pilots, receive only 15% of the U.S. sports media coverage despite participating in nearly half of all sports competitions, and hold less than 27% of tech-related jobs even though diverse organizations are eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes, according to the Centre for Aviation, Wasserman and Deloitte respectively.

The program will enable the Drone Racing League and the U.S. Air Force to open new horizons for women in drone racing, sports, and STEM and set a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the sky and beyond.

About DRL:
Drone Racing League (DRL) is the world's premier professional drone racing property. The best drone pilots in the world fly in DRL and millions of fans watch them race on top broadcast and streaming platforms. Combining groundbreaking technology and immersive drone racing, DRL is creating a new era of sports that brings high-speed competition across real life and virtual simulation. Founded by Nicholas Horbaczewski in 2015, DRL is privately-held and headquartered in NYC. For more information, visit www.drl.io.

CONTACT: Melanie Wallner, [email protected]

SOURCE Drone Racing League