Seoul to host international drone racing World Cup in October
A promotional poster for the "2026 Seoul International Drone Racing World Cup" / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it will host the "2026 Seoul International Drone Racing World Cup" on Oct. 23 and 24 at Gwangnaru Hangang Drone Park in eastern Seoul, where pilots will fly high-speed racing drones through obstacle courses using first-person-view goggles.
Now in its second year, the event will draw about 60 pilots from 10 countries who will compete through qualifying rounds into a single-elimination final tournament. The winner will receive the Seoul Mayor's Award and a cash prize of 5 million won ($3,600).
This year's edition expands beyond spectator racing to hands-on activities. Alongside the racing course, visitors can try drone basketball and drone fishing, test racing simulators, get career counseling and take part in drone assembly and coding classes. Children and teenagers will be able to pilot drones themselves, put together drone parts and write simple code to control a drone's flight path, the city said, calling it a way to introduce young people to the technology and to careers in the field.
The Korea-China-Japan Drone Soccer Open International Cup, a tournament in a separate sport in which players fly ball-shaped drones through a suspended ring to score goals, will also be held alongside the racing event, giving visitors a chance to see multiple drone sports in one place.
The city said it would keep racing and hands-on activity areas separate and step up on-site safety measures, including controlling drone flight zones, maintaining safe viewing distances for spectators, stationing safety personnel along walkways and running a joint on-site command center.
Details on the schedule, competition and public programs are available on the official World Cup website run by the aeromodelling association overseeing the event.
"The Seoul International Drone Racing World Cup made a successful debut last year with matches by world-class pilots and strong public interest," a Seoul city official said.
"This year, we are strengthening both the competitiveness of the international tournament and public participation programs to build an even richer festival, and preparing thoroughly for Seoul to leap forward as a global hub city for drone sports."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.