Drone Champions League

Lore & Background

The Drone Champions League was founded in 2016. Early events took place in Reutte, Austria, and Salina Turda, Romania. The first full season began in 2017 and included a race on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was held largely as a simulator-based competition. In subsequent seasons, the league combined physical finals with virtual qualifying and race formats, including events in Abu Dhabi and AlUla.

The league organizes both physical and virtual races. Since 2025, the season format has consisted of three tournaments—the Falcon Cup, Eagle Cup, and Hawk Cup—followed by the Super Final, which determines the season champion. The 2025 season introduced this three-cup format, and the Super Final took place at Königssee in Germany, where Raiden Racing won the overall title. The 2024 season was held in a split format, with the Split 1 final at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and the Super Final won by Cyclone Racing. The 2023 season concluded with the Super Final in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, won by XBlades Racing.

In February 2020, DCL released its official drone racing simulator, DCL – The Game, developed with THQ Nordic. The game includes virtual versions of DCL race tracks and uses a physics-based flight model. It is used as both a training tool and an esports platform. Open online tournaments and draft-based selection events identify new pilots for DCL teams.

Reader's Guide

The Drone Champions League is significant as a pioneering organization in FPV drone racing, blending physical and virtual competition through mixed-reality formats and its own simulator, DCL – The Game. Its involvement in autonomous racing, notably the A2RL x DCL Autonomous Drone Championship in April 2025 and the AI Grand Prix announced in January 2026, extends its influence into autonomous systems. The AI Grand Prix, organized with Anduril, is a separate competition where teams develop autonomy software for standardized drones, with a prize pool of US$500,000. The league also contributes to STEM education, conducting a multi-week Drone STEM Program in the United Arab Emirates in 2025 with UNICEF and the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, reaching around 100 secondary-school students. Additionally, the opening of the Tuwaiq Drones Hub in Riyadh in January 2026, in partnership with Saudi Arabia's Tuwaiq Academy, marks a step in regional drone technology development. The league's history includes early events in Austria and Romania, a race on the Champs-Élysées, and adaptation during the pandemic through simulator-based competition.

Did You Know?

• The first full season in 2017 included a race on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
• The AI Grand Prix, announced in January 2026, has a total prize pool of US$500,000.
• In 2025, DCL conducted a Drone STEM Program in the UAE with UNICEF and the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, involving around 100 students.