The 2024 World Drone Racing Championship, featuring 111 world-class "pilots" from 32 countries around the world competing on the same stage, is exciting and thrilling. Among them, 12-year-old Chinese national team youth "Flying Hand" Bai Xize won the runner up in the individual and youth groups, realizing his dream of Hangzhou, which is even more exciting. It is worth mentioning that over 70% of the participating athletes are born in the 2000s. With a love for speed and technology, young athletes strive hard on the field and chase their dreams.
Behind the achievements, countless attempts and efforts are indispensable. Bai Xize said, "Three years ago, I first saw DJI's drones and found it very interesting, so I started to get involved in this sport." With the help of his father, he began to learn how to assemble and debug drones step by step, and conducted training every Saturday and Sunday. Now, he has achieved the world's second best result in drone training simulators. Wearing VR flying glasses, I can feel the freedom of flight from a first person perspective, just like an eagle overlooking from the sky. "When it comes to drone racing, Bai Xize's eyes sparkle with light." Three years from now, I want to compete for the world's number one
I am good friends with 'pilots' from multiple countries, but we can only meet at international competitions, "said Bai Xize." What I love most is the atmosphere of everyone competing together, which makes me feel the strength of the team and the warmth of friendship
In addition to drone racing, Bai Xize's academic performance is also excellent, consistently ranking in the top 10 in the class. He admitted that learning and drones will not affect each other, and he will arrange his time reasonably to achieve a balance between the two.
Drone racing, an emerging aviation technology in sports, has shown astonishing growth rates globally in recent years. It cleverly integrates technology, speed, and high difficulty control skills, and is therefore vividly praised by enthusiasts as the "F1 of the sky". Due to its integration of diverse characteristics such as technology, education, and sports, it has become an important platform for cultivating young aviation technology talents. With the vigorous development of China's low altitude economy, drone racing has been officially included as a competition event in the 15th National Games in 2025, and its development momentum in China is even more vigorous.
Drone racing has gradually become a popular choice for teenagers, "said Li Xidong, the head coach of the national team at this World Championships. Since drone racing entered China in 2016, China has become one of the earliest countries in the world to carry out drone education and training. Starting from the first and second grades of elementary school, teenagers can achieve results by the fourth and fifth grades. They have shown amazing potential and talent in this field. Their peak period is usually between 16 and 20 years old, which is the golden age of drone racing athletes
17-year-old girl He Yutong from Guangzhou No.2 Middle School achieved fourth place in the women's category at this World Championships. She has been exposed to drone flying since fifth grade and now has five years of flying experience. Drone racing has helped me develop my 'big heart', "she said." This sport extremely tests the athletes' reaction ability and hand brain coordination ability, and is also an excellent opportunity to exercise their mentality. Through this sport, I have become more calm and confident, and can calmly face various challenges in life
In the competition, He Yutong performed exceptionally well on the field with his flying style of "steady yet fast". For the first time representing the national team in a large-scale international competition, she appeared both nervous and excited, and in the future, she hopes to contribute to the national defense cause of her country with her abilities and enthusiasm
From the two young athletes, we see the enormous influence and development potential of drone racing among teenagers. In the future, with the advancement of drone technology and the continuous expansion of application fields, drone racing will usher in a broader development prospect. For teenagers, this is not only a platform to showcase themselves and achieve their dreams, but also an important way to learn new knowledge and master new skills. The relevant person in charge of the Aviation Radio Model Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China said, "Through such high-level international events, the prosperity of global drone sports has been strongly promoted, and it has also opened up broader space and more possibilities for the growth of young talents
