# Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge in Rome

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/esercito-1659-drone-challenge-in-rome
> Updated: 2026-09-15T09:27:08.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The Italian Ministry of Defence and the Italian Army are organizing the ‘Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge’, an inaugural competition scheduled for September 19 and 20 at the Tor di Quinto Military Hippodrome in Rome. 

The event brings together elite civilian and military First Person View (FPV) drone pilots to compete in high-speed, high-precision flight courses. The competition is divided into two main categories: a PRO category, which serves as the fourth stage of the 2026 Italian Drone Championship, and an OPEN category accessible to all participants. The field includes 10 elite PRO pilots and 32 OPEN category pilots, split equally between civilians and military personnel.

Spectators can view the races via special visors that transmit real-time onboard camera footage to large screens. The event is expected to feature appearances by Undersecretary of Defence Isabella Rauti and Army Chief of Staff General Carmine Masiello, alongside parachute demonstrations and performances by the Italian Army Band.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-15: Italian Army to host first FPV drone challenge in Rome

The Italian Army will host the first ‘Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge’ in Rome on September 19-20, featuring elite civilian and military FPV drone pilots.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-army-to-host-first-fpv-drone-challenge-in-rome

### 2026-09-03: Rome to host Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge in September

The Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge will be held in Rome on September 19-20, featuring a competition between civilian and military FPV drone pilots.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rome-to-host-esercito-1659-drone-challenge-in-september

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Cite as: Esercito 1659 Drone Challenge in Rome. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/esercito-1659-drone-challenge-in-rome