Sanliurfa:South Korean FPV drone pilot Choi Wonkyun emerged victorious in the World Drone Championship at the TEKNOFEST Southeast World Drone Cup, concluding four days of intense competition.

According to Anadolu Agency, Choi secured the championship title ahead of his fellow countryman Kim Minjae, who finished in second place. Bulgaria's Dimo Shterev claimed the third spot. The winners were awarded their prizes by Selcuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the T3 Foundation Board of Trustees and TEKNOFEST Executive Board Chairman, along with Turkish Secretary of Defense Industries Haluk Gorgun and STM General Manager Ozgur Guleryuz.

Choi expressed his happiness with the victory and extended gratitude to his coach and uncle for their support. He acknowledged the challenging preparation for the competition but affirmed his intention to return and defend his title.

Kim Minjae, the runner-up, reflected on missed opportunities to secure first place during the initial rounds and took responsibility for the outcome. Despite his disappointment, he vowed to return stronger in future competitions and thanked his parents and sponsors for their support.

Dimo Shterev, who finished third, described his performance as both 'amazing' and 'unexpected,' especially after a disappointing qualifying round. He credited his perseverance and consistency for pushing through the finals and expressed gratitude to his parents, sponsors, and his team, ROC Special in China, for their assistance.

The championship featured 32 drone pilots from around the globe, who began competing on October 1. They navigated a challenging course with moving gates using high-speed first-person-view drones they designed and assembled themselves.

TEKNOFEST Southeast, part of Turkey's premier aviation, space, and technology festival, took place in Sanliurfa, drawing tech enthusiasts, young investors, and visitors for a variety of shows, exhibitions, and tech competition finals in 14 categories. The festival ran from Wednesday through October 4.