THE 2025 China Drone Soccer League (Guiyang stop) concluded Saturday in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, drawing strong interest from industry insiders and tech?sports enthusiasts. The Guiyang stop, held from Wednesday to Saturday, featured three competition arenas of different sizes. Organizers said the tournament strictly followed international classifications — F9A?A, F9A?B and F9A?C — commonly referred to as the “400?ball,” “200?ball” and “100?ball” categories. Those labels indicate the diameter of the drone soccer balls in millimetres, with field dimensions adjusted accordingly. The smallest “100?ball” arena, where gameplay is quicker and more agile, was specifically designed for beginners, providing a compact space that helps novices focus and rapidly master basic control skills. Within specially designed cages, teams maneuvered drones protected by spherical frames and scored points by launching the balls into opponents’ goals. Competition was fast?paced and technically demanding, combining elements of piloting skill, strategy and teamwork. A Shanghai?based drone club, Bihang, swept the Guiyang stop by taking first place in all three categories. Launched in Langfang, Hebei, in June, the 2025 China Drone Soccer League is scheduled to visit five cities in total, culminating in a final in December. Drone soccer was recognised as an official discipline by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in 2019 and has since developed rapidly in China. In 2025 it was included for the first time as a mass competition event at the National Games, underscoring its emergence as a model for integrating technology and sport. The first FAI World Drone Soccer Championships will take place at Shanghai Stadium from Nov. 15 to 18, where audiences will see top teams from around the world compete. (SD News) | 