It’s not a bird,  it’s not a plane — it’s a drone! Canada’s first-ever aerial drone competition is officially here, marking a new chapter in history. 

The Aerial Drone Competition: Mission 2026 “Time Warp” kicked off last week at the Concord Pacific showroom in Burnaby, and with a round of preliminary scrimmages completed, it’s already an exciting match.

With another showdown, the Western Canada Qualifying Tournament, happening Saturday Dec. 6 at City Square, this is your official invitation to support and cheer on Canadian youth. 

Canada’s first official RECF Aerial Drone Competition 

Designed to showcase Canadian students’ passion for drone technology, coding, and innovating, this competition invited students from 10 to 18 years old to design, program, and pilot through four different missions. 

It’s all about cultivating critical STEM skills in children while connecting them with global technology and engineering opportunities.

Take it from event partner and CEO of Vancouver Integem, Amanda Liang:“The Aerial Drone Competition is more than a contest — it’s a launchpad for creativity, leadership, and future-ready skills,” she says.

Meanwhile, participant Harry Xie said taking part has made him feel more confident in the field of robotics and coding, “I feel like this competition is really great for improving our skills with a variety of different challenges and missions, and also it’s a great team building exercise.”

The Western Canada Qualifier

Teammates Aadvik Saini, Harry Xie, Austen Or, and Jayden Hsu (Concord Pacific)

With 20 teams competing in the Western Canada Qualifier, it will be an exciting display of ingenuity! Throughout the event, participants will have to collaborate with their teammates to complete several tasks, like piloting, presenting their engineering notes, and explaining their designs. 

The top-performing teams from the day will automatically qualify for the Aerial Drone Competition Regional Championships, and gain international ranking toward the Global Championship. 

Spectators are invited to come down to Vancouver’s City Square Shopping Centre to watch it all go down! This is a free event open to the public, with direct viewing access to the main-level area. 

Special guests include Vancouver’s deputy mayor, Sarah Kirby-Young, and leadership from the Vancouver School Board.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see some of Canada’s young STEM leaders! Check out the Regional Final — Western Canada Qualifying Tournament & Awards Ceremony at City Square Shopping Centre, Dec. 6. 

Aerial Drone Western Canada Qualifying Tournament 

When: December 6, 2025
Where: City Square Shopping Centre, 555 W 12th Ave.
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free!