Collaboration creates a new pathway for students to develop STEM, technology and future-ready skills through hands-on drone learning and competitive sports

CYBERJAYA, Malaysia, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sri Bestari Private School officially launched the Global Drone Arena, a purpose-built facility for drone soccer and obstacle-based flight activities. Developed in collaboration with Futurise through its National Academy for Drone Sports Excellence (AKSADRON) programme, the arena provides students with a dedicated platform for structured training and hands-on learning, while developing technical, problem-solving and future-ready skills through drone technology and competitive drone sports.

The launch was officiated by Azliza Mohd Sarif, Head Assistant Director of the Private Education Unit, School Management Sector, Selangor State Education Department, with a keynote address delivered by Azrita Abdul Kadir, Head of Ventures and Alliances of Futurise.

The Global Drone Arena is a dedicated, purpose-built facility located within Sri Bestari Private School's campus, featuring a caged environment and specialised obstacles for drone soccer and skills-based challenges. As the training ground for the school's Drone Hero Programme, the arena provides students with hands-on opportunities to develop their technical capabilities, teamwork, problem-solving and competitive skills, while gaining early exposure to drone technology and its wider applications.

The initiative grew from a shared vision between Futurise and Sri Bestari Private School to inspire the next generation of technology talent through hands-on learning and early exposure to emerging technologies, leading to the establishment of the Drone Hero Programme as a platform for hands-on learning in drone technology, STEM and emerging technologies. Delivered through Futurise's AKSADRON programme, the Drone Hero Program commenced in June 2026, introducing students to the fundamentals of drone soccer through a series of structured workshops. Over the following months, students progressively developed their technical skills, teamwork, problem-solving abilities and confidence, culminating in the launch of the Global Drone Arena and their first Internal Drone Soccer Competition on 6 August 2026.

This initiative reinforces Futurise's role in advancing technology-driven talent development through AKSADRON, which is tasked by the Government to support the development of Malaysia's drone sports ecosystem, guided by strategic direction outlined in the National Drone Sports Strategic Roadmap (NADSAR). Based in Cyberjaya, AKSADRON operates Malaysia's first dedicated drone sports training hub, providing a platform that connects students, athletes, enthusiasts and industry players through structured drone sports and technology programmes. The Global Drone Arena at Sri Bestari extends this ecosystem into the school environment, creating an early pathway for students to develop practical technology skills and progress from classroom exposure to structured training and competitive opportunities.

"At Futurise, we believe that building the next generation of technology talent starts by giving young people meaningful, hands-on exposure to emerging technologies. Through AKSADRON, drone sports provide an exciting and accessible entry point for students to develop technical skills, problem-solving abilities, teamwork and confidence. Our collaboration with Sri Bestari marks the first structured Drone Hero Programme with a private school and represents an important step in bringing this learning experience directly into the school environment. With more than 10,000 participants reached, over 2,000 students trained and more than 20 stakeholder organisations engaged to date through AKSADRON, we are encouraged by the growing interest among young people. We hope this partnership will inspire more schools to embrace drone technology as a platform for learning and talent development, creating pathways for students to transform their interest into skills, performance and, ultimately, opportunities within the wider technology ecosystem," said Azrita Abdul Kadir, Head of Ventures and Alliances at Futurise.

Meanwhile, Dr. Steven Baptist, Principal of Sri Bestari Private School, said, "Introducing drone technology to our students is a natural progression of the school's homegrown STEM and AI programme, which we launched some eight years ago. We strongly believe in learning by doing, and our students have gained valuable exposure through robotics competitions, innovation and science challenges. The introduction of drone sports, in collaboration with Futurise through AKSADRON programme, adds another exciting dimension to this learning journey. We are deeply grateful to Futurise for its invaluable support in making this initiative possible."

For Sri Bestari Private School, where STEM is a key focus across both primary and secondary education, the Global Drone Arena represents more than a new facility. By combining elements of coding, physics, engineering, problem-solving and teamwork, drone sports provide students with an engaging and practical platform to apply STEM knowledge beyond the classroom.

With the Drone Hero Programme underway and students already progressing from structured training to competition, the collaboration demonstrates how schools, supported by industry and ecosystem partners such as Futurise, can create meaningful pathways from early technology exposure to skills development and future opportunities. Through initiatives such as this, Futurise aims to inspire and nurture the next generation of Malaysian technology talent, equipping young people with the skills, confidence and curiosity to participate in an increasingly technology-driven future. 

About Futurise

Futurise is a company under the Ministry of Finance. It is mandated by the Government of Malaysia to manage the National Regulatory Sandbox, providing public policy advisory and acting as a key enabler of regulatory solutions to expedite innovation and future-proof Malaysia's economy.

About Sri Bestari Private School

Sri Bestari Private School is an internationally recognised private school located in Kuala Lumpur that nurtures and supports its learners for them to achieve academic success and become globally responsible citizens. We accomplish this by providing an environment that is innovative and progressive that is grounded in trust, compassion and respect.

Follow Sri Bestari Private School social media for updates:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/sribestariinternational/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sribestariinternational
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sri-bestari-international-school/

Follow Futurise & AKSADRON social media for updates:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/futurisemy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurisemy ; https://www.instagram.com/aksadron/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aksadron
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/futurise/