Boulevard City: The Drone Racing World Cup, a prestigious event sponsored by Riyadh Season, kicks off today in Boulevard City, Riyadh. Organized by the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, in collaboration with the World Air Sports Federation, the competition runs from January 23 to 25.
According to Saudi Press Agency, this marks the first time the Drone Racing World Cup is being held in the Middle East and North Africa since its inception in 2016. The event underscores Saudi Arabia’s dedication to advancing this sector, with prizes exceeding 1,300,000 SAR available for participants and attendees.
This year’s competition features renowned world champions such as Kim Minjae, the 2024 FAI World Drone Racing Champion; Killian Rousseau, the 2023 FAI Drone Racing World Cup winner; and Yuki Hashimoto, another 2024 FAI World Drone Racing Champion. Joining them are Luisa Rizzo, the 2024 Women’s FAI Drone Racing Champion; Min Chan Kim, the 2023 FAI World Drone Racing Champion; and several other top competitors from recent global championships.
Saudi pilots, including Muhannad Al-Wohaibi, Ibrahim Al-Sultan, and others, will also participate in the event. The qualifying rounds are scheduled for Thursday and will continue until midday Friday, leading up to the finals on Saturday.
In addition to the races, there will be an activity zone with various attractions. These include a Drones Hub for educational purposes, a Drag Racing Zone for speed competitions, a Fly Free Zone for testing drones, a VR Drone Racing simulation, and Drone Workshops for hands-on training and assembly. A Fans Zone will also be available for spectators to enjoy the competitions.
This event marks the start of the inaugural season of the Drone Racing World Cup, which consists of multiple rounds hosted in countries that are leaders in drone racing.