LANZHOU, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Fourth-grader Zeng Hanyang steadied the remote control and guided his drone toward the goal as classmates cheered during preparations for a drone football match.
Zeng, a student at No. 1 Primary School in Baiyin District, Baiyin City in northwest China's Gansu Province, has been learning drone football since last year. The sport has grown increasingly popular among young students across Gansu, with schools training pupils for local and higher-level competitions.
"I like to play drone football," Zeng said, adding that his teacher also showed him how to assemble drones before matches.
Zhang Tingjiang, a science teacher at the school, said drone football combines competitive play, programming skills and hands-on practice, helping students develop hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and problem-solving abilities.
"Students like Zeng practise drone football in group activities at least once a week," Zhang said, noting that teachers instruct children in drone operation while also teaching them about the principles and structure of the aircraft.
Nearby Baiyin Road Primary School in Lanzhou has offered drone football courses for several years. Its students won third prize in the drone football event at the World Robot Contest finals in January 2025.
Youth science-and-technology sports such as drone football remain popular across the province. The Youth Science and Technology Sports and Aerospace Model UAV Education Competition, held in Linxia City in June, drew 318 teams from 13 cities and prefectures and more than 5,000 athletes and coaches, officials said.
According to Gansu's Education Department, events such as drone football and aviation modeling have become increasingly popular among young people in the province. As competitions and participation have grown, annual attendance at youth science-and-technology sports events in Gansu now exceeds 200,000.
"Drone events that integrate technology, sport and teamwork are opening doors to the future of technology and sports for local students," said Zhu Qiantao, a professor at Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics. ■
