Teams To Include Both Shooters And Pilots

Aero-News April 1 Special Edition

Drone Skeet has been selected as a demonstration sport for the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, CA.

The International Olympic Committee approved a resolution for demonstration competition April 1.

Teams will consist of shooters and pilots competing in timed rounds. Each team will have 5 minutes to shoot down as many of the opposing team's drones as it can, then they will switch sides and the other team will have an opportunity to shoot. At the end of 6 rounds, the team which has downed the most drones will be declared the winner. Partial credit will be awarded for drones that are damaged but can still fly.

"We looked at the exploding popularity of drone racing and asked 'what can we do to top that?'" said an IOC member not authorized to speak to the media. "Gun sports have a long Olympic pedigree, so we thought we'd bring the best of both worlds into this new demonstration sport. The skill of pilots to avoid being hit will be just as important as the skills of the marksmen and women ... making this a truly competitive sport."

A special "Drone Skeet" arena will be built in LA for the competition. Spectators will be protected behind bulletproof shields, and live video feeds will be available in the arena, streaming online, and through FPV goggles that will be available for rent at the venue.  

And yes, the ammo will be live. "We considered laser tag or other non-lethal means of bringing down the drones, but decided that an old-school 20-gauge shotgun made for the most realistic scenario and still accounted somewhat for spectator safety," the source said. "We looked at a handgun division as well ... but discarded that idea as being too unsafe for the city. Maybe when the games are next held in Chicago ...," he mused.

FMI: www.olympic.org/la-2028