WorldSkills introduces new drone competition in Shanghai

The 48th WorldSkills Competition opened in Shanghai on September 22nd, featuring the debut of an Unmanned Aerial Systems event. This new competition requires participants to assemble a drone from over 200 parts, program its flight-control system, and achieve autonomous flight within an 18-hour window, integrating mechanical assembly, electronics, and artificial intelligence.

The introduction of the event coincides with the rapid expansion of China’s drone industry. In 2025, the output value of China’s civilian drone industry reached 176.1 billion yuan, representing a 20 percent year-on-year increase. Industrial drones now account for more than 70 percent of this total.

In Shanghai, drones are increasingly utilized for infrastructure tasks, such as inspecting power transmission lines. State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company reports deploying approximately 100 drones daily for these inspections. Beyond utility, the technology is expanding into entertainment, such as large-scale drone light shows, and international engineering applications like oil-pipeline inspections. However, the industry's growth has led to a significant talent shortage, with estimates suggesting a need for more than one million skilled workers, including hardware and R&D engineers.