On Your Mark, Get Set, Fly: Drone Racing to Be Featured at The World Games 2025

The lesser-known sibling of the Olympic Games, which features sports that didn’t make the cut for the big stage, will pit remote drone pilots against one another.

Monday, February 05, 2024 at 02:52 PM ET

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A night-time race at the 2023 FAI World Drone Racing Championships in October pits five pilots against each other. [Courtesy: FAI]

Key Takeaways:

Drone racing has been confirmed as a key event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, treating pilots as professional athletes after its successful debut in 2022.
Competitions involve 32 pilots from around the world using First-Person-View (FPV) goggles to control radio-controlled drones, often self-built and capable of speeds over 100 mph, through brightly lit gates and obstacles.
The sport is rapidly growing in popularity and recognition, evidenced by a drone pilot being a World Games Athlete of the Year runner-up, and expanding FAI-hosted events and junior pilot programs in schools.

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The lesser-known sibling of the Olympic Games will treat drone pilots as professional athletes.

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale or World Air Sports Federation (FAI) confirmed that drone racing will be included as an event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, following its debut at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11-day event, held every four years since 1981, features sports that didn’t make the cut for the Olympics.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.