FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — More rain and thunderstorms were possible Monday at the Grand Canyon following a major flash flood that left one person dead and about 15 others missing or unaccounted for, with scores of visitors evacuated and the only water pipeline for tourists and residents destroyed.
Emergency water restrictions that began Monday prevented tourists from staying overnight at lodges and hotels within the park. Year-round residents were asked to conserve water.
A flood watch was in effect. Visiting the Grand Canyon — a crown jewel of the national park system — can be particularly dangerous in the summer because of the risk of flash flooding that accompanies the monsoon, or rainy season. Clear days can give way quickly to thunderstorms and downpours.
“With deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations, an elevated risk of flash flooding will be in place through Monday,” the National Weather Service said early Monday.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, the National Park Service said without providing additional details.
The flooding Saturday in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the river, led to more than 60 people being airlifted from the depths of the canyon. The park service asked anyone with details about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to get in touch. The Arizona Department of Public Safety helped with additional evacuations Sunday.
“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the park said in a statement.
Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with fellow physicians and a park ranger when heavy rain started falling Saturday.
“We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he said.
Later, as they made their way toward Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted “Up, Up, Up, Up!” as a 4-foot (1-meter) debris wall headed toward them and they ran up into a patch of cacti, he said. They were rescued by helicopter late Saturday after making it to the Phantom Ranch area, he said.
Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over the creek and altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and extending an existing river rapid or creating a new one. The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the pipeline that serves 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village.
“Heaven help us if the whole thing down there at the bottom has to be reconstructed,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. “Where are they going to get the money?”
Halting overnight stays at the park because of a lack of water is rare, although the pipeline frequently has failed over the years. While the Grand Canyon has large storage tanks for potable water on the South Rim, they won’t be refilled while the pipeline is out of service.
A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system started in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors. The project was expected to be completed next year.
Stengle reported from Dallas. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles also contributed.
This photo shows Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after it was hit by heavy flooding a day earlier. (Craig Sanderson via AP)
This photo shows Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after it was hit by heavy flooding a day earlier. (Craig Sanderson via AP)
Bright Angel Creek near the Phantom Ranger Station in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, is seen after flash flooding from storms, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Parth Desai via AP)
GREENVILLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 31, 2026--
As drones transform aviation, public safety, agriculture, infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and other industries, employers will need a workforce prepared to operate, program, maintain, and advance the technology.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260831399674/en/
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF), which operates one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing student robotics and drone competition organizations, and educational drone developer Robolink are expanding their longstanding partnership as the presenting sponsor of the 2026–2027 Aerial Drone Competition season and the new mission, Fast Track. Robolink will serve as the program’s official drone partner, providing its CoDrone EDU, a versatile, programmable drone designed specifically for educational purposes.
The expansion comes as demand for career-connected drone education reaches a record high. Participation in the Aerial Drone Competition grew 50% to nearly 3,000 teams in the past two years. As of today, early registrations for the 2026–2027 Aerial Drone Competition season are currently surging ahead of the same point last year, signaling continued strong growth in student and educator interest.
Meanwhile, drones and careers powering them have moved rapidly into the mainstream, from Fourth of July celebrations and Olympic opening ceremonies to farms across America, where nearly one in three farmers surveyed now use them.
The collaboration also builds on RECF’s recent partnership with Unmanned Safety Institute, connecting students with aviation safety education, industry-aligned training, and a pathway toward FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certification.
“This collaboration is about building more than a competition program. RECF, Robolink, and Unmanned Safety Institute are creating a connected pathway that introduces students to drone technology, gives them opportunities to apply their skills, and shows them where those skills can lead,” said Dan Mantz, CEO of RECF. “As the drone industry grows, we have a shared responsibility to help more young people see themselves as part of its future.”
Each partner contributes an essential part of the student learning and workforce pathway:
The expanded partnership will help extend the Aerial Drone Competition to more communities and strengthen opportunities for JROTC teams. Robolink’s role as presenting sponsor builds on more than six years of collaboration with RECF, including early game and field design and the development of program-specific solutions such as CoDrone EDU (JROTC Edition).
"Robolink started as an afterschool STEM program, and today our drones are used in more than 9,000 schools from upper elementary through high school," says Hansol Hong, CEO of Robolink. "But the RECF's Aerial Drone Competition gives students a deeper reason to care: there are real stakes, teammates counting on you, and problems to solve under pressure. It turns STEM from something to study into something with the excitement and sense of belonging as athletics. We’re proud to help the RECF bring that experience—and the career pathways behind it—to more students.”
Designed for students in grades 4–12, the Aerial Drone Competition provides an accessible entry point into a technology field they may not otherwise encounter at school. The program focuses on hands-on, student-centered learning that combines education and fun for thousands of middle and high school students.
Teams fly and program drones, complete missions, analyze performance, document their engineering process, and communicate under pressure. Along the way, students develop technical knowledge and career-ready skills, including creativity, teamwork, leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving.
The 2026–2027 season will culminate at the RECF World Championship in St. Louis from April 2 to May 7, 2027, where qualifying Aerial Drone Competition teams will demonstrate their skills alongside students from around the world.
Teams, schools, and community organizations can learn more about the Aerial Drone Competition and register for the new season here. The Aerial Drone Competition Pro provides students with the opportunity to increase awareness and interest in drone technology, industry applications, and career paths. Learn more here.
About the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF)
The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) is a global organization dedicated to increasing student engagement in science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, curriculum-based robotics and drone programs. Through comprehensive programs encompassing competitions, education, and workforce readiness, the Foundation empowers educators to inspire and equip students for success. The RECF strives to create a future where every student designs and innovates as part of a team, overcomes failure, perseveres, and emerges confident in their ability to meet global challenges. Through sustainable and affordable curriculum-based robotics programs, the RECF inspires students, one robot at a time.
About Robolink
One of Inc. 5000’s fast-growing private companies for 2026, Robolink makes career-launching drones and learning experiences for grades 4 and up. CoDrone EDU, the drone designed for classrooms and the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF)’s Aerial Drone Competition, allows students to program with Blockly and Python to build CS, STEM, and future-ready skills from their first flight. The company’s mission is to help educators get students excited about coding, technology, and teamwork to prepare them for high-impact careers. The Robolink team knows that not every student will go into STEM, but they believe every student should have the opportunity to see where it could take them.
A student competes in the RECF’s Aerial Drone Competition Signature Event in Terre Haute, Indiana, March 2026. Photo by Kel Cruz.
