29 Oct 2024

Gearing Up for the 2024 FAI World Drone Racing Championship

Following the successful FAI World Drone Racing Championships in 2018 and 2019 (Shenzhen and Ningbo), China is set to dazzle the drone community once more. Crafting and then building a drone race track, particularly for a World Championship, is no small feat. When you aim to blend the design with local cultural heritage, the task becomes even more complex.

The 2024 FAI World Drone Racing Championship will take place at Hangzhou's Shangcheng District Sports Centre. 111 racers from 32 nations will vie for the World Champion title. The race track's design draws inspiration from the Qiantang River and the Hang Zhou Bagua Tian site, a royal land during the Song Dynasty. Stretching about 600 m, it features 43 gates and 12 L-shaped obstacles. The octagon extends across three levels, reaching a maximum height of 4m.

Many teams arrived today, as registration and model processing begin tomorrow. The track will be ready tonight, and we're all eagerly awaiting its illumination by thousands of LED lights. The programme also includes night flights.

The Opening Ceremony is set for Thursday, 31 October, with the competition running from Friday, 1 November to Sunday, 3 November.

Keep an eye out for upcoming reports and the livestream broadcast link.

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Photo credit: Antonis Papadopoulos