Tag Archives: drone racing

Korea to host world’s biggest drone racing competition in 2023

November 30, 2022 admin

The World Air Sports Federation or Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) has awarded the 2023 FAI World Drone Racing Championship to Korea. It is the biggest competition of its kind, offering an arena for the world’s best pilots to pit their skills against one another.

The Championship will take place from 6 to 9 October 2023 at the Chunhyangol Stadium in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, about two hours south of Seoul. It will include prize money of USD 100,000.

KAMA, one of the sport’s most experienced organisers worldwide, is teaming up with the Federation of Korea Aeronautics and the city of Namwon to deliver the Championship, with the aim of organising a top-level event for competitors and spectators alike. Aside from the Drone Racing competition, an FAI Drone Soccer competition, a Drone Conference and other side events will familiarise spectators with the infinite world of drones. Music concerts and an array of cultural activities will complete the picture in the field of entertainment, while experts will debate and discuss drones at a conference.

Antonis Papadopoulos, President of the FAI Aeromodelling Commission, said: “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 organisers. 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!”

The two first editions of the FAI Drone Racing World Championship happened in Shenzhen (2018) and Ningbo (2019), China, before a three-year gap caused by the pandemic.

AFTNews, Airsports, PRNews

Team Korea victorious at FAI World Drone Racing Championship 2019

December 23, 2019 Jasmine Low

The 2019 FAI World Drone Racing Championship Grand Final was held at a dedicated drone-racing track, built especially for the competition in Xiangshan Ningbo, a coastal city in the south east of China about 300km from Shanghai.

16-year-old Korean drone pilot Changhyeon Kang is the new FAI World Drone Racing Champion in the Overall and Junior categories while 12-year-old Wanraya “Milk” Wannapong of Thailand successfully defended her title for the Women’s category.

Photo credit: FAI.org via AsiaFitnessToday.com

Australia’s Thomas Bitmatta, 20, in second place and French pilot Killian Rousseau, 15, came in third in the Overall category while Korean Siyun Park, 15, and Teng Ma, 34, of the USA in the Women’s category in the championship that took place at Ningbo, China from 11-14 December 2019.

Drone racing pilots from Korea, Australia and France dominated this year’s meet

Speaking at the event, Acting Secretary General of the FAI Markus Haggeney said: “Congratulations to all the medallists, particularly the Korean team on claiming gold medals in a total of three categories, and the impressive young Thai pilot Wanraya Wannapong, who is now an FAI World Champion for the second time at just 12 years old.

“And thanks to everyone who has played a part in making this FAI World Drone Racing Championship Grand Final such an excellent competition. There has been a fantastic atmosphere throughout and the Aero Sports Federation of China (ASFC), the organiser Starmach, the city of Ningbo and all the officials and volunteers have done a great job.”

Team Malaysia’s Amir Rijal and Amir Keri Jr.

The competition took place over four days:

11 December: Model processing and practice flights
12 December: Opening ceremony and qualifying rounds
13 December: Elimination rounds
14 December: Elimination rounds, finals, medal and closing ceremonies

Among the 112 participating pilots, 103 drone pilots, including 40 juniors and nine women, competed as part of 31 national teams. The other nine pilots competed as individuals.

Team Malaysia sent two drone pilots this year, Amir Rijal, 24 (ranked 93/111) and Amir Keri Jr., 20 (ranked 83/111).

The race track this year was inspired by the Bi-Fish, a traditional Chinese Tai Chi symbol

Pilots tested their skills on a three-level championship racetrack that was 4m wide and 6m high, with a total length of 630m. Called Bi-Fish, it was inspired by the traditional Chinese Tai Chi symbol, and the maritime culture of Xiangshan, Ningbo – a former fishing village – and included lots of sharp turns, 16 air gates, and a tunnel.

AsiaFitnessToday.com supported Team Malaysia as its Official Media Partner, and drone racing has been adopted as a Move8 Pro program for youth – getting young people outdoors and moving.

RESULTS

Overall

KANG Changhyeon (KOR)
BITMATTA Thomas (AUS)
ROUSSEAU Killian (FRA)

Women

WANNAPONG Wanraya (THA)
PARK Siyun (KOR)
MA Teng (USA)

Juniors

KANG Changhyeon (KOR)
KIM JaeJong (KOR)
HEEPS Sam (AUS)

National teams

Korea
Australia
China

AFT Features, AFT Interviews, AFTNews, Sport

FPV pilots today, athletes tomorrow

December 11, 2018 admin

A special feature on tomorrow’s athletes by creative, events and technology entrepreneur, Jasmine Low.

Two years ago, I had a dream of starting a vocational school to upskill the youth. I have come across many talented young people around the world who may not have the opportunity to go into college or university, but highly capable and adept with their hands and have technical expertise in fixing electronic gadgets, devices etc. When you’re in Kuala Lumpur, take a walk into any of the malls and approach a mobile phone counter. You’ll find these boys. And there are girls too! So the question is, if only we could train and upskill these youngsters in the doing and making of STEM, as opposed to the academic study in STEM. I’ve been researching and still am and the dream is getting close to fruition but not yet.

In 2008, my partners and I founded by accident, the GO INTERNATIONAL youth empowerment program when we took on the license to promote eSports with ESWC in 2008 then DreamHack in 2009, Global Battle of the Bands and most recently the FAI Drone Racing World Championship in Shenzhen this year.

Q. What’s your background and why drone racing?

It was a Miss World Malaysia competition that I worked on during my days as a PR Consultant for DDB PR that inspired me on to working on international competitions. In 2008, my partners and I brought the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) from Paris to KL. From eSports, music, beatboxing, rubiks cubes to drone racing, we’ve just kept our ears close to the ground and listened to what young Malaysians like and we’re so happy 68 young Malaysians have been able to pursue their dreams and push their personal goals at international festivals around the world.

All our programs so far have been funded by corporate and government agencies – kudos and mentions to the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Intel, DiGi, Cyberview, Yokohama Batteries, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsiaX, Gary of PLAY Interactive, Jack of DOJO KL, Nikki Yeo and my team at Go InternationalGroup.com.

Q. Why are you championing drone racing as a sport?

It promotes athleticism, and just drives kids towards excellence while doing something they love. Ya… remember Nintendo? Ya, same thing, using fingers to control la.

I’ve also been inspired into this journey by the sheer passion for airsports by the people like Tengku Abdillah of AFA, Aerolomba Magazine and Capt. Arif, Paraglider and President of the Malaysian Sport Aviation Federation. Meetings with them are fascinating and jaw dropping as they show you their latest antics in the sport they love so much.

Q. First you ask us to admit eSports as sport because it’s physically challenging (it is!!!), now you’re asking to admit dSports? What’s next? Paper plane flying?

Uhm… yes. This was a question posed by an official and I’m asked this quite often too by sponsors. Happy to report eSports is officially in 2019 Southeast Asian Games Philippines. In fact, paper plane flying or free flight was one of the earliest in “Aeromodelling”, as with drone sports and are sanctioned under FAI – World Air Sports Federation (doing the teeheehee dance)

Q. Alright. And all this leads to an increase of STEM uptake by our kids?

Absolutely! I’m in the media/publishing/events industry because as a Gen X-er, I was inspired by TV3’s Majalah 3, ABC’s 60 Minutes, MacGyver, Moonlighting and rainbow socks in Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. So media and content was my game! I loved it! But yes, with eSports, dSports and VRsports around the bend, we’ll definitely see an upswing of STEM uptake in schools.

This preamble leads to two articles recently published in New Straits Times article by SuLyn Chong and in The Star Online coverage by Sharmila Nair about the two drone pilots, their helper and Coach Shah Johan (Joe).

The trip was made possible by the collaborative efforts by Malaysia Sport Aviation Federation, MDEC, DOJO KL and Go International Group Dotcom. It also made it possible for two Malaysian pilots – Amir Rijal Haziq and Saw Zhi Ying to make a historical leap into the FAI world rankings because of the support given.

Thank you, everyone! Blue skies ahead, as they say in airsports!

Affiliations:
Asiafitnesstoday.com
Move8 movement
FEYST . Indie Youth Fest OFFICIAL
Malaysian E-sports Community // Go International E-Sports Cup

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