Unleashed in the East

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) has announced its selection of South Korea as the host nation of the 2023 World Drone Racing Championship. The competition, the largest and richest of its kind, offers contestants a prize pool of a cool $100,000.

After a three year COVID hiatus, the tournament will see the world’s best drone pilots pit their skills against one another in head-to-head competition. The races, which are slated to commence on 06 October and run through 09 October 2023, will be held at the Chunhyangol Stadium in the southwestern province of Jeollabuk-do—some two hours south of the South Korean capital city of Seoul.

For purpose of ensuring top-quality arrangements for competitors and spectators alike, the competition’s organization will be jointly overseen by Korea Aero Models Association and the Federation of Korea Aeronautics—so states the FIA.

In addition to the main drone racing competition, ancillary events will include the FAI Drone Soccer competition and a conference at which event attendees may better their exposure to and understanding of the vast and varied world of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—known colloquially as drones.

An array of cultural activities and music concerts are being planned as well.

FAI Aeromodelling Commission president Antonis Papadopoulos states: “We are delighted with the 2023 FAI World Drone Racing Championship being held in Korea, knowing this exciting competition has been entrusted to the hands of highly competent and experienced organizers. Their ambitious plans to showcase drones in all their variety, competition, and otherwise, is promising to be a hit with everyone. And I must say, after two years of interruption, we are all impatient to see the world’s best of the best pilots fight for victory. This event cannot come soon enough!"

Additional 2023 FAI drone racing events include:

• FAI Drone Racing World Cup; Chorzow, Poland; 05-07 May 2023
• FAI Korea Drone Race World Cup; Incheon City, South Korea; 18-20 May 2023
• Trofeo del Centenario Aeronautica Miltare; Pratica de Mare, Rome, Italy; 17-18 June 2023.
• Aichtal F9U; Aichtal, Germany; 24-25 June 2023
• French Drone Racing World Cup; La Queue-en-Brie, France; 01-02 July 2023
• DXRacing; Bela Crkva, Serbia; 08-09 July 2023
• FAI Namwon Drone Race World Cup; Namwon, South Korea; 11-13 August 2023
• VI Trofeo Secchia F9U; Sassuolo, Italy; 09-10 September 2023
• Drone Racing World Cup; Zalaegerszeg Hungary; 22-24 September 2023
• Phoenix Drone Racing; Prilep, North Macedonia; 07-08 October 2023

 The previous (2018 and 2019) editions of the FAI Drone Racing World Championship were held in China.

FMI: www.fai.org