Feature: Teenage drone pilots unleash the potential of China’s drone sports

CHONGQING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) — When teenagers wear specialized goggles to control small sports drones – just a few inches long – through obstacle courses at high speeds, they experience a thrilling sense of immersion. This exhilarating combination of speed and skill has made drone sports a new favorite among teenagers worldwide.
On Friday, the 2024 National Aviation Science Popularization Grand Assembly of China and the 8th China Educational Drone Event took place in Chongqing Municipality, located in southwest China. Approximately 17,000 young participants competed in 23 events across five categories: control, programming, combination, virtual, and creative.
The young athletes showcased their abilities by maneuvering drones during aerial combat and simulating freight transport relays. Those watching from the sidelines leaned in, eagerly raising their arms to capture these exciting moments on their phones.
Wu Hongxuan, a 12-year-old participant from Foreign Language Primary School in the Jinjiang District of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, passionately followed the “Quidditch”-style drone soccer elimination match. He cheered enthusiastically and engaged in animated discussions with his teammates.
“I’m going to participate in this match too, and I’m feeling a bit nervous,” Wu said. He began his journey with drones two years ago and was selected by his school this summer to undergo professional training for drone competitions. “I think drone sports are incredibly cool! Not only do we learn how to operate drones, but we also gain a wealth of related knowledge,” he added.
Zhang Qi, the chief executive judge of the “Lei Ting Fei Tu” competition, emphasized that the event tests the children’s understanding of drone technology, requiring them to think critically as they operate the drones. He believes that the increasing standardization and specialization of drone sports will further promote the development of related industries.
In September 2023, the General Administration of Sport of China issued the “General Regulations for Mass Events of the 15th National Sports Meeting of the People’s Republic of China,” clearly stating that model events – including aviation model F9A drone soccer (five-player, basketball) and aviation model F9U drone racing (individual) – will be part of the mass events lineup.
According to data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the total number of drone enterprises with valid operational certificates for civil unmanned aerial vehicles currently exceeds 14,000, and the number of individuals holding drone operator licenses surpasses 225,000.
In the first half of this year, nearly 608,000 new drones were registered, indicating a 48 percent increase since the end of the previous year. The cumulative flight hours of drones reached 9.816 million hours, an increase of 134,000 hours compared to the same period last year.
Hou Tianyou, a 12-year-old boy from a rural primary school deep in the mountains of southwest China, has seen his life transformed by drones. “This is my third time participating in the Educational Drone Event,” said Hou, who attends Liangtian Primary School in Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province. His journey began three years ago when a young teacher, Chen Zhongchao, arrived to introduce the children to this exciting new field.
“My first encounter with drones was at an aerospace event organized by Mr. Chen. I found it fascinating, and after the event, I told him that I wanted to learn more about drones,” Hou recalled.
Not only did Hou practice during weekdays, but he also spent many weekends honing his drone flying skills with his teachers and classmates. His hard work paid off when he secured second place in the National Educational Drone Event for the first time the year before last.
“This time, I’m participating in the individual flight competition, and I hope to win first place!” Hou said. He revealed that he had already been accepted early into a prestigious local middle school because of his outstanding performance in several drone competitions. ■