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What is drone football

Drone football, also known as drone soccer, is played with drones in protective cages. DF League has two formats: Pro is 3v3 with one designated striker per team; Open is 5v5 with two designated attackers per team.

  • Team

    Pro has three pilots and drones per team on the pitch; Open has five. Each pilot flies one drone.

  • Striker

    One designated striker can score in Pro; two designated attackers can score in Open. The others support attack and defence.

  • Goal

    The striker flies through the opponents' hoop, which hangs in the air at the end of the pitch.

  • Reset

    After a goal the whole team flies back to its own half before attacking again.

  • Sets

    The main match has up to three 3-minute sets. Two set wins decide the winner; the procedure varies by league.

  • Penalties

    If the main sets do not decide a winner, an extra set and, if needed, a shoot-out follow. Attempt times vary by league.

The Pro and Open draft regulations describe each format and match procedure. They still require organizer approval.

Pilots fly from behind the net

What the game teaches

  • Engineering

    students build, tune and repair their drones

  • Teamwork

    roles, tactics and talking to each other mid-play

  • Safety

    the cage covers the propellers and play happens inside a netted arena

Two leagues

The leagues differ by drone motor and level. Each has its own regulations, its own ranking and its own season stages.

National team pilots

Brushless drones

Pro League

Top division

Fast brushless drones and a high tempo of play. For teams with tournament experience.

League rules
School No. 111 Keleshek team

Brushed drones

Open League

Entry division

Reliable brushed drones that are easy to start with. For teams new to drone football.

League rules
Pro and Open compared
ParameterPro LeagueOpen League
Motor typeBrushlessBrushed
LevelSenior divisionEntry to competition
Rankings and tablesSeparateSeparate
RegulationsOwn versionOwn version
Season and stagesSeparate calendarSeparate calendar

Moving from Open to Pro takes a new season registration and an equipment check. Open results don't carry over to the Pro ranking.

Age categories, roster size and entry conditions are published in the season regulations.

History and results abroad

On the world stage

1, 2, 3

Palm Springs, USA

Kazakh students swept the podium in the team category for drones up to 20 cm: Kemel Bilim (Aktobe) and Schools No. 8 and No. 82 (Astana).

6 / 7

South Korea, July 2026

Kazakhstan's national teams finished 6th and 7th in two categories; a club team made the top 10.

TR, HK

Guests in Astana

Teams from Turkey came to the 2026 Open Cup.

Since 2024

  1. 2024First drone football competitions in Astana
  2. 2025Digital Almaty, DRONEX, showcases at AlmatyFair.ai
  3. 2026Regular tournaments and the international Open Cup

How to start

  1. Equipment

    Pick a league: brushed drones for Open, brushless for Pro.

  2. Team

    An adult representative registers the school or club, creates the team and adds the roster.

  3. Training

    Train with open materials: drills, rules, videos.

  4. Competition

    Apply for a tournament, pass the check-in and take the arena.

Register your team

Sign in or create an account, then add your school or club and register your team in your account.

What you need to register

  1. School or club name
  2. City
  3. League: Pro or Open
  4. Coach's contact
Register a team