From desert heat to alpine ice, the 2025 Drone Champions League season took the world’s fastest FPV teams on a journey unlike any before.
The 2025 DCL season pushed the sport into a new gear. With a refreshed league structure built around three Cups – Falcon, Eagle and Hawk Cup – each Cup ran as a series of twice-weekly YouTube premieres, blending DCL – The Game’s digital-twin tracks with real-world racing – starting with the Falcon Cup Finals in Abu Dhabi and ultimately heading to the Super Final in the Ice Channel at Königssee, from desert heat to alpine snow.
Beyond the league, DCL continued to expand its footprint in 2025: with STEM & education activities designed to inspire the next generation of drone talent and with AI- and autonomy-focused initiatives exploring what happens when cutting-edge technology is pushed to race-level limits, including headline moments that put machine performance in direct comparison with elite human pilots.
The Falcon Cup opened the 2025 season as the first of the three major tournaments. In a compact, high-stakes format, six elite teams from around the world competed in DCL – The Game before culminating in the finals at ADNEC Abu Dhabi in April.
At the real-life Finals – held 11–12 April at ADNEC Marina Hall, AbuDhabi – Raiden Racing stamped its dominance, defeating Cyclone Racing and claiming the Falcon Cup.
The second Cup took place entirely in the virtual world, with teams battling across iconic landscapes: from alpine passes to a dramatic finale on the Great Wall of China. Spain Drone Team (SDT) delivered a breakthrough performance, claiming their first DCL Cup title and pulling level with Raiden Racing at the top of the overall standings. The title fight was officially on.
The Hawk Cup was the final battleground before the Super Final at LOTTO Eiskanal Königssee and it raced exactly like it. Like all qualifiers, races were run on DCL – The Game. Six teams entered the hunt, but only four survived the qualification grind to reach the Finals bracket (Spain Drone Team, Raiden Racing, Phoenix Racing, DCL Wild Card Team).
From there, the storyline wrote itself: SDT vs Raiden Racing, the rivalry the season had been building toward. Raiden came out aggressive, but SDT answered with control, pace and near-perfect execution. The Eagle Cup champion Spain Drone Team completed the back-to-back with the Hawk Cup trophy and locked in maximum momentum heading into the championship decider.
Three Cups. Months of simulator pressure. Then one final step: real-life FPV on the Ice Channel.
Real-life drone racing was back, and it returned in unforgettable style. In Königssee (Germany) DCL staged its first-ever races along the legendary bobsleigh track of the Königssee Lotto Bayern Eisarena. The location transformed into a true winter arena.
After battling through sun-baked desert tracks and high-speed virtual circuits, teams now faced the ultimate test on ice, freezing temperatures and zero margin for error.
Spain Drone Team arrived with maximum momentum after winning Eagle + Hawk Cup, leading the standings by just two points:
On 19 December 2025, the season reached its climax with the Super Final premiere on YouTube – a championship decider on ice.
The Super Final at LOTTO Bayern Eisarena Königssee delivered a brutal, unforgiving test: fresh snow, freezing temperatures, ice channel and zero margin for error. Spain Drone Team were unable to field their usual full roster, and Raiden Racing capitalised on the moment, claiming victory in the Super Final and sealing the 2025 DCL Championship.
Staying true to the spirit of DCL, Spain Drone Team joined the action with showcase runs, creating an impressive and unique moment as both teams flew the ice channel together.
Raiden Racing’s Super Final win also marked their third DCL title – a milestone that further defined their legacy as one of the most successful teams in league history.
Looking ahead, Season 2026 promises to be even bigger, faster, and more intense than ever. More information about the 2026 season will be revealed soon. Be prepared & stay tuned!
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