Drone Soccer

Two teams pilot protected drones inside a netted arena. Only the designated striker scores by flying through the opponent's goal ring.

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Figure 1. Protected court; illustration not to scale.

DS §11 Purpose and scope

HERO Challenge is a multidisciplinary educational event combining aerial and ground robots with practical work in mechanics, electronics, programming and communication. HERO Explorer and HERO Pro divisions are available. Students may choose their level and explore other challenges.

HERO Explorer uses small assisted beginner drones, with 12.5 cm as a reference. HERO Pro uses the 20-22 cm class without automatic altitude or position hold. Three-against-three matches follow the FAI references [1, 2] with HERO adaptations; Section 14 explains the division equipment.

The division notice identifies the approved platforms and playing format. No FAI sanction or official FAI championship status is claimed.

DS §22 Teams and divisions

Technical lineup: three to five players, with three active pilots and up to two reserves. HERO’s event roster allows up to three Air competitors plus a competing captain, so an Air-only team fields three or four players; the smaller limit governs. Each pilot controls one drone. Declare one striker before each set and one captain to speak to officials. A captain may also be the striker.

Players and striker roles may change between sets, not during play except for the striker-replacement procedure in Section 7. A player may register on only one team in the same division. Teams with high-school members need an adult supervisor; participants under 18 also need guardian consent.

HERO Explorer is introductory and HERO Pro is advanced; these are difficulty levels, not age groups. Mixed high-school/university and multidisciplinary teams are welcome. Choose a division for each entry; teams may enter different divisions across challenges, or both through separate entries. HERO Explorer and HERO Pro have separate rankings, as do different technical classes.

DS §33 Aircraft requirements

For HERO Pro, the main 20 cm class uses the limits below, derived from the FAI F9A-B technical specification [1, 2]. Different brands may enter if they meet the same class rules and pass inspection. This Soccer class operates only inside the fully enclosed, venue-approved cage in Section 5. Its 300 g limit does not apply to FPV, Multi-Robot or CanSat filming drones, which remain under 100 g.

A spherical plastic or composite frame must contain the propellers, battery and electronics, with no protruding components. Each frame opening must be no larger than 150 cm2; a flat base may be at most 2 cm high. A motor-stop fail-safe is mandatory.

The main class excludes automatic position or altitude hold and programmed flight paths. Ordinary flight stabilization and pilot-activated crash recovery are allowed.

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Figure 2. Main 20 cm aircraft class.

DS §44 Equipment and technical inspection

Teams may use approved shared aircraft or bring their own. Submit the model, diameter, ready-to-fly mass, battery and radio details before approval. Do not buy a platform assuming it is eligible until the division notice is published.

Inspection checks the protective frame, propellers, battery retention, radio operation, motor-stop fail-safe and visible identification. Use team colours and a distinct striker marker visible from either goal. The HERO identification scheme will be published with the approved platforms.

Check replacements before flight. A damaged frame, loose battery, unsafe propeller or radio fault excludes that aircraft until repaired and rechecked. Use only authorised flight and testing areas.

DS §55 Arena and goal rings

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Figure 3. Reference court layout [1, 2]; venue-approved dimensions apply.

The reference court is 6 m long by 3 m wide, with a 3 m high protection cage and a marked centre line. Both teams have identical start areas. The net encloses the sides and roof; it must retain the smallest approved drone and any detached components. Cover exposed hard supports with impact padding.

Place pilots outside the two short sides. Keep spectators, charging tables and circulation routes outside the protected playing area. Nobody enters during flight. Use removable markings and approved supports that do not damage the venue.

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Figure 4. Reference goal dimensions [1, 2].

Use two identical circular goals, each 1 m inside its baseline and facing the centre. The reference opening is 40 cm, outer diameter 70 cm and thickness at most 10 cm; the bottom of the opening is 2 m above the floor. Secure the goals against falling or excessive swinging. HERO Explorer uses a scaled layout specified in Annex A; ring practice remains separate from matches.

DS §66 Starting and ending a set

Figure 5. Match sequence. Battery changes and substitutions take place between sets.

Before each match, confirm the registered players, approved aircraft and team colours. A coin toss chooses sides; teams keep those sides unless officials require a change for fairness or safety.

Each match has three sets of three minutes. Play all three sets, even if a team wins the first two. Allow two to three minutes between sets for safe recovery, battery changes and substitutions. The team with more set wins wins the match.

Place drones in their start areas. Captains confirm readiness. Arm only when instructed; the start sound follows approximately three to five seconds later. Do not lift off before that sound.

At the end sound, stop attacking, land and disarm. Enter only after the referee confirms all aircraft are disarmed and opens the cage. No battery or drone replacement is allowed during a live set.

DS §77 Scoring and returning to your half

Only the declared striker scores. Its entire protected drone must pass completely through the opponent's ring from the centre-facing side towards the opponent's baseline. A reverse crossing, partial crossing or teammate crossing earns no goal. The goal referee validates the score; a sensor alone does not settle a disputed goal.

After scoring, every still-flying drone on that team must return to its own half before another goal attempt. A grounded drone that cannot return is withdrawn from the set. A goal gained without the return is cancelled and the opponent receives a penalty shot.

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Figure 6. Score, return and attack again. The opponent may continue defending during the return.

The striker may defend through its own goal. A non-striker must not enter or remain inside its own ring to block scoring. Contact between protected flying drones is part of play. Deliberately striking a grounded drone or endangering people or the venue is prohibited. Incidental contact with the net or a goal is not itself a foul; damaged aircraft must stop flying.

If a drone is unsafe to fly, land and disarm, or activate motor stop if control is lost, and notify the referee. The team continues with fewer drones. If its striker is disabled or removed by a card, the referee may pause play to designate another eligible, already-active pilot as striker. Stop the clock, land and disarm all drones before changing the visible striker marker. No reserve enters during a set, and a card remains in force. Without an eligible replacement, the team continues without a striker and cannot score. If it has no eligible active pilot, the referee ends the set and awards it to the opponent; record 3-0 goals or the opponent’s existing goal total if higher, with zero for the team unable to continue.

DS §88 Set results and tied matches

The team with more valid goals wins that set; equal goals produce a drawn set. Match results depend on sets won, not total goals across the match. For example, winning two sets 1-0 wins the match even if the other set was lost 0-5.

After all required sets, the team with more set wins wins the match. Equal set wins are a drawn match in the group stage. Knockout ties use the following HERO adaptation.

Each team takes three alternating penalty attempts using the procedure in Section 10. A coin toss determines who shoots first. Nominate one attacker and one opponent defender for each attempt.

If those attempts are tied, continue alternating pairs of penalty attempts. Both teams receive an attempt in each pair; stop when one pair produces a winner. Use different registered pilots where practical. Battery replacement is permitted between pairs after all aircraft are disarmed.

The referee records each set score, penalties and the match result. Captains check the score sheet before leaving the match area.

A team must field three approved pilots at the start of a match. Withdrawal, failure to do so or forfeiture gives the opponent a 2-0 set win. Each awarded set is recorded as 3-0 goals for group statistics, and the winner receives three ranking points. This administrative score is a HERO adaptation, not a flown result.

DS §99 Tournament and awards

Figure 7. Example tournament sequence.

Rank groups by points, then goal difference across group matches, then goals scored. If a qualifying place is still tied, use Section 8 penalty attempts. For three or more tied teams, run a mini round robin of shootouts and rank by shootout wins; repeat between teams still tied for a qualifying place.

The tournament notice gives groups, qualification places, bracket and indicative timetable. For four teams, round robin, semi-finals (1st versus 4th and 2nd versus 3rd), third-place match and final give ten matches. Sessions may span one or more days according to entries, venue access and safety; finals are not tied to a fixed day. Announce timetable changes to all teams. Award first, second and third places separately in each division.

DS §1010 Penalties and conduct

The referee records offences and consequences. Penalty shots use one attacker and one defender in their own start areas, with all other drones disarmed. Stop the set clock. An attempt ends at ten seconds or the first valid goal. Then reset both teams and resume the remaining time and existing score using the normal start signal. Tiebreak shots use the same setup without restarting a set.

A yellow card removes the responsible pilot for the rest of the set; a red card removes that pilot for the rest of the match. If the offence is not attributed to one pilot, the captain nominates the pilot to leave. The team plays with fewer aircraft. Cards reset between matches, but serious misconduct may lead to event disqualification by the Organizing Committee.

DS §1111 Safety and interruptions

Keep batteries secured inside the drone. Reject swollen, punctured, overheating or otherwise damaged packs. Use the correct charger and manufacturer limits; supervised charging takes place on a non-combustible surface in the designated area. Store spare packs with protected terminals in appropriate fire-resistant storage.

All control radios and any video transmitters must meet the host country's radio requirements and be approved for the venue. Power on only as authorised. Do not interfere with another pilot's link. FPV flying is a separate activity unless expressly included in a published division notice.

Officials may delay or stop play for a damaged cage, poor visibility, a radio fault, an escaped aircraft, battery hazard or another unsafe condition. Protective frames reduce risk; they do not remove the need for containment and inspection.

For a venue or organiser fault, rerun the interrupted set from zero when safe; previously completed sets stand. If one team caused the interruption through a rule breach, officials may award that set to the opponent. Ordinary aircraft breakdown does not earn a rerun.

If a match cannot resume, record the completed sets and publish its rescheduled time or cancellation decision. Do not combine results from different aircraft classes or changed field layouts.

DS §1212 Officials and questions

The Organizing Committee confirms divisions, venue arrangements and the schedule. The Technical Committee approves platforms and resolves rule questions. The Head Referee oversees matches; one match referee and a scoring referee at each goal control play. The Safety Officer may stop any unsafe activity. The English edition governs; approved published Q&A forms part of the rules.

Ask the match referee promptly about a score or procedure. The registered captain may submit a written protest within 15 minutes of result publication, without a fee. It may concern rule application, procedure or a recording/calculation error. Referee judgements of observed play stand unless official evidence establishes a clear error. The Technical Committee reviews the relevant rule and available official records and issues a final written decision. This HERO process replaces the FAI championship protest procedure.

DS §1313 Registration and preparation

Register the team, players, supervisor if required and proposed aircraft through the competition page. Fees, deadlines, equipment allocations and workshop places will be stated there. Shared equipment is subject to confirmed allocations; teams may also bring approved aircraft.

Workshops are optional and cover safe handling, radio setup, basic flying and match roles. Beginners may practise on a ring course before a match. Attendance adds no ranking points.

Team roles at a glance

Striker

Only this drone can score

Teammate

Support the attack

Teammate

Defend outside the goal opening

Figure 8. Example team roles; only the striker is designated.

DS §1414 Division and equipment information

HERO Explorer uses small protected beginner drones, normally 10-15 cm in frame diameter; 12.5 cm FEEBY is a reference, not a required brand. HERO Pro uses the 20-22 cm class, up to 300 g, inside the approved cage in Sections 3 and 5. Choose by experience and platform, not age. Mixed teams may enter either; unlike platforms are not mixed in a match.

HERO Explorer permits approved built-in altitude or position assistance and a scaled court with goals suited to beginners. HERO Pro requires pilot-controlled altitude and position, with the main court and 40 cm goal-opening reference in Section 5. Normal stabilisation remains permitted. Both keep the striker, return-to-half and three-against-three structure unless an announced adaptation applies. HERO Explorer class limits and scaled goals are published before entries open; safety is unchanged.

Teams submit aircraft and radio details for the checks in the technical annex. Organisers confirm the court, goals and division format. Six-aircraft operation must be tested with the approved radio configuration before competitive play.

Equipment classes and eligibility are published before entries open. Final course layouts, division settings, interfaces and scoring clarifications are published at least four weeks before the first competition day. Rules and these specifications are then frozen; later changes are limited to law, safety or essential venue operation and are notified to all registered teams. Event times remain provisional until the final timetable is issued.

Technical annex A Drone Soccer equipment and court

Measure diameter over the protective frame and weigh the complete flight configuration. Measure goal clearance through the usable opening; the stated height is to its bottom, not the ring centre. Check that the net retains the smallest admitted aircraft and detached components.

HERO Explorer equipment

HERO Explorer aircraft are not mixed with HERO Pro aircraft. The HERO Explorer platform class, mass/battery limits, scaled court and goals and any playing adaptations are published before entries open; final venue layout follows the four-week rule in Section 14. Ring practice is separate from scored matches.

References

[1] FAI World Drone Soccer Championships Sporting Rules, 2025 edition. Field and aircraft reference; complete playing rules.

[2] FAI Volume F9 Drone Sports, 2026 Version 2. F9A technical and playing rules.