FAI confirms that Drone Racing is to feature at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China. Following the successful debut of the drone racing competition at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, USA, this thrilling air sport is set to captivate audiences once again at The World Games, which runs from 7 to 17 August 2025.

FAI & The World Games

Recognised and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International World Games Association (IWGA) is a not-for-profit independent international organisation comprising 39 International Sports Federations.

The World Games is an 11-day global multi-sport event held every four years. It features sports which are not part of the Olympic Games, thus providing an important platform for athletes and promotes the selected sports to a significant audience, encouraging funding and growth.

FAI has been involved with The World Games since 1997. The upcoming event in Chengdu will mark the 12th edition of The World Games and the third time an Asian city has hosted the event since its inception in 1981.

Preparations for the Chengdu edition are already underway. Further announcements leading up to the event will include the confirmation of the drone racing venue and the list of the 32 selected pilots. Given the widespread appeal of this sport among youngsters, the Federation anticipates a significant presence of junior competitors, which has been consistent with recent FAI World Drone Racing Championships. Pilots will hail from all corners of the globe, representing both male and female racers.

About drone racing

Drone Racing is an exhilarating, high-speed sport that challenges pilots to outmanoeuvre opponents on specially constructed tracks featuring obstacles.

Key points:

• Drone Racing offers equal opportunities for both women and men to excel and become champions.
• Several (up to six at a time) radio-controlled multi-rotor model aircraft compete to be the fastest around a closed circuit.
• The drones used are multi-rotor craft that weigh no more than 1kg. They are equipped with on-board video cameras that transmit real-time video images to the goggles worn by the pilots. This allows them to control the tiny aircraft around the circuit.
• The drones can reach speeds exceeding 160 km/h (100 mph), requiring lightning-fast reflexes from the pilots.
• The circuit includes gates and other obstacles that the pilots must navigate to reach the finish line in the fastest time.
• The events can take place indoors or outdoors.
• Each race generally lasts about three minutes.

More information about Drone Racing

Night-time race at the 2023 FAI World Drone Racing Championships

Photo credit: Shawn Lee from Pixabay; KAMA/Yong-chan NAM