AI takes flight: Abu Dhabi to host world’s first all-autonomous drone race

Abu Dhabi is gearing up to host a groundbreaking moment in drone racing history as the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), organised by ASPIRE, partners with the Drone Champions League (DCL) to launch the world’s first AI-only drone racing finale.

Taking place from 11–12 April 2025 at Marina Halls 1 & 2, ADNEC, the A2RL x DCL Autonomous Drone Championship will see 14 elite international teams compete in a series of high-speed, high-tech challenges — with no human pilots involved. Instead, drones powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX modules will rely entirely on artificial intelligence to navigate, react, and win.

A highlight of the event will be the “AI vs Human” challenge, which pits top AI racing systems against the world’s best drone pilots in a thrilling knockout showdown. The competition will test everything from deep learning and sensor fusion to drone agility and precision under unpredictable conditions—all for a $1 million prize pool.

Running alongside the races, A2RL Summit 2.0 on 11 April will bring together global thought leaders in AI, robotics, and autonomous mobility to explore future innovations shaping our world.

Open to the public and free to attend, the event is set to attract tech enthusiasts, drone racing fans, students, and families alike. Pre-registration is required at: registration.a2rl.io/register

Event details: 📍 Marina Halls 1 & 2, ADNEC, Abu Dhabi
🗓️ 11–12 April 2025
🕙 10 AM – 6 PM (both days)
🔗 a2rl.io/autonomous-drone-race

With high-octane AI action and a future-focused summit, A2RL is set to redefine autonomous racing in the capital.