Malaysia's Drone Sports Talent Ecosystem
Malaysia’s drone sports ecosystem reached more than 10,000 participants between 2022 and 2025, as AKSADRON expands training, competitions and industry partnerships aimed at developing future technology talent.
CYBERJAYA: Malaysia’s emerging drone sports ecosystem is developing into a structured talent platform, with more than 10,000 people reached through nationwide programmes and 2,000 participants trained between 2022 and 2025.
The figures are contained in the AKSADRON Impact Report 2025, released by the National Academy for Drone Sports Excellence (AKSADRON), an initiative under Futurise Sdn Bhd.
The report documents AKSADRON’s development since 2022 and highlights the growing use of drone sports as a platform for technical learning, STEM education, TVET, innovation and future-ready skills.
Over the four-year period, AKSADRON conducted 70 programmes and events, organised seven drone sports tournaments and engaged more than 20 stakeholders from government, academia and industry.
It also collaborated with eight academic and learning institutions and six industry stakeholders, while establishing more than 10 memoranda of understanding and letters of intent intended to expand collaboration across the ecosystem.
The development forms part of Malaysia’s National Drone Sports Strategic Roadmap 2023–2027 (NADSAR), a five-year framework that positions drone sports not only as competitive and recreational activities but also as a potential talent pipeline for the wider drone and aerospace industries.
The roadmap focuses on strengthening Malaysia’s drone sports landscape, building collaboration among stakeholders and increasing public awareness and participation.
The initiative is also aligned with broader national priorities, including the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan 2026–2030, National TVET Policy 2030 and Visi Sukan Negara 2030.
Futurise Acting Chief Executive Officer Shafinaz Salim said the progress demonstrated that drone sports could provide young Malaysians with practical opportunities to develop technical knowledge, teamwork, problem-solving skills and competitive experience.
AKSADRON was established by Futurise following a Malaysian Government mandate in 2022 and operates across four areas: drone racing, drone soccer, drone e-sports and AI-enabled drone racing.
Its training facility in Cyberjaya provides programmes for individuals, schools, higher-learning institutions and corporate organisations. Training covers drone piloting, flight safety, drone handling, technical skills, teamwork and competitive drone sports.
The academy's approach reflects a wider effort to connect participation in sport with technology skills and potential career pathways.
Rather than treating drone sports solely as a recreational activity, AKSADRON is developing programmes that allow participants to progress from basic exposure and piloting skills to technical development and competition.
The ecosystem also includes programmes such as Dronecubator and Drone Hero, as well as competitions including Drone Hub Innovation for Future Talent (DRIFT) and Sky Battle.
The development of drone sports comes as Malaysia seeks to strengthen its capabilities in emerging technologies and develop a workforce equipped for industries involving unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, aerospace and advanced technology.
Shafinaz said AKSADRON’s Cyberjaya facility was intended to provide students, educators, organisations and the public with a structured environment to learn and practise drone technology safely.
The report therefore positions drone sports as one component of a broader talent-development ecosystem, linking sports participation with technical education, industry exposure and innovation.
Futurise is a company under the Ministry of Finance and is mandated by the Malaysian Government to manage the National Regulatory Sandbox, provide public policy advisory services and support regulatory solutions aimed at enabling innovation and future-proofing the economy.
AKSADRON’s next phase will take place against the backdrop of the 2023–2027 national roadmap, with its existing network of educational institutions, government stakeholders and industry partners providing a foundation for further development of Malaysia’s drone sports and technology talent pipeline.
