DRONE SOCCER EXPLAINED
( We administer to the Federation of International Drone Soccer Association Rules and Regulations and FAI)

Over the past few years we have seen drones being innovative tools that have been pushing the envelope of technology to further heights.  Normally, these drones are just used for aerial photography or surveillance but never in competitive sports. Interestingly, drones are now also actively involved in a sport that is gaining in popularity in 20+ countries. It is called drone soccer, and it is even expected to be the next nationwide youth sport.

Drones were first used in drone racing which required exceptional flight skills and flashy customized drones, and they were expensive.  This proved to be intimidating to beginners who just wanted to fly their drones for fun, but paved the way for drone soccer.

Drone soccer is a strategy game and requires flight skills. It has simple rules, short matches and uses standard drone models which has appeal to all age levels and is easy to learn and play. To get started you need a small area, net, and goal markers and you are all set. Drone soccer is also popularly known as quadcopter soccer because remote-controlled quadcopters are used in this game. These are not hobby drones.

Take some time to observe the game, and you might think that this is the modern-day version of Harry Potter’s “Quidditch” or a Star Wars space invasion. The drones fly at a fast speed and zip in and out of the court, making it an exciting sport to watch.

The game was first introduced to the public in 2016 by the CAMTIC Institute of Technology in Jeonju, South Korea. In 2018, the first drone soccer was played in Goyang city in the same country at the “Robo Universe Drone Soccer” wherein 22 teams competed against each other. A year after, Patrick Coumans of the Drone Racing Federation (DRF) introduced drone soccer to Europe at the Amsterdam Drone Week. This sport is now governed by the World Air Sports Federation.

With its growing popularity, drone soccer leagues have now steadily been established in many countries around the world.  USA Drone Soccer administers FIDA rules and regulations and does not use DJI made drones in our program.

The basics of drone soccer

Drone soccer is a game played by two teams, with each team composed of at least three players. Each player controls a drone that has been fitted with a protective anti-collision cage. Each team also has a goal that they need to defend. The goal of the game is to have a drone fly towards and through the goal defended by the opposite team. Each team has a designated Striker whose task is to fly through the goal. The other two members will have to defend both their goal as well as the Striker. Each game consists of three sets lasting three minutes each. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins.