Youth and Drones

Drones are only an issue in places where they are perceived as a nuisance or cause fear—fear of crashes or loss of privacy. Concerns about their impact on nature, particularly wildlife, cannot be dismissed either. Every day we read and hear about the terrible destructive power of drones in current wars. Anyone who looks into the matter more closely will find that this applies not only to large and expensive drones but also to what are essentially toy drones. We must learn to understand the robots that are increasingly intruding into our everyday lives. Without this understanding, humanity in the near future might mystify or demonize these inherently “dumb” devices. Both would be unwise developments.

Various organizations have organized drone sports events in recent years. The CIAM Model Flying Commission of the FAI—World Air Sports Federation—has quickly established two competition classes: “F9A Drone Soccer” and “F9U Drone Racing.” The SMV also has a drone community and a technical commission.

Drone sports have clearly emerged as an ideal activity for young people. Although I personally don't see the appeal of "integrating" drones into model aviation, I must

2023 FAI World Drone Racing Championships im Stadium of the Namwon Sports Town complex, Jeollabuk-do, Korea.

I wholeheartedly acknowledge the great enthusiasm of the youth. Within the FAI, we would have had the opportunity to manage drone sports separately—alongside all other aviation sports. Individual members of the CIAM Executive Board did everything in their power to bring drone sports into model aviation. However, the FAI nomenclature provides for a logical and consistent distinction (see table). A separate drone commission would have to deal with far more issues than just “drone soccer” and “drone racing.” The development of drones goes much further, and

That would have opened the door to far more interesting areas of sports and entertainment. Anyone who rushes into it—for whatever reason—very often sabotages their own future. Anyone who watches videos of major drone sports events will soon notice that very young women and men clearly dominate the scene. Older participants seem to be increasingly stepping back. Drone sports have become the air sports of the youth.

Many teenagers retreat to their rooms to play games on their smartphones or tablets.

Here, too, too much of anything is unhealthy. Instead of isolation, they need shared challenges and adventures. Drone sports offer much more than traditional video game consoles. The virtual gaming world becomes reality on the racing course. The aircraft—drones or multicopters—require a minimum of practical technical knowledge. Most people are comfortable using a computer, which is also used for simulator training. In addition, it involves dealing with competitive situations as well as a high level of concentration and quick reflexes. Like many other technical sports, drone sports promote personal development and open doors to education and careers.

After the World Championships is before the World Championships. The term “FAI World Championships” has not been consistently applied everywhere. While some refer to the 2019 World Championships as the first, others consider the 2018 World Championships in China to be the “first” in the series. Other international drone events include the FAI World Cup events. These always consist of a specific number of competitions (a series) with an annual standings ranking. In addition, there are the World Games. These are major multi-sport events. They have been held since 1997 and feature over 30 sports, with more than 60 disciplines and 250 medals.

Drone races are also set to be held for the second time at the 2025 World Games in China. The last World Championships in Korea, with 120 participants from 30 countries, must be considered a major success.

2018 Shenzhen, China

2019 Xiangshan, Ningbo City, China

2023 Jeollabuk-do, Korea

2024 Hangzhou, China October 30 to November 4

Images: Antonis Papadopoulos, FAI websites (fai.org).