Published on: 2026-10-07
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
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First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Head of the Popular Front Executive Committee Mikhail Kuznetsov, Governor of the Moscow Region Andrey Vorobyov, and Governor of the Tula Region Dmitry Milyaev launched the “At the Top!” project, aimed at promoting the civil use of UAVs. One of the important parts of this project is the all-Russian pilot competitions.
“Our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has set the task for Russia to become one of the main technological leaders in the field of unmanned systems by 2030. The country’s competitiveness depends on success in creating, piloting, developing, and using unmanned systems. Today is a special day, the birthday of the national leader of our country, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the President of Russia, who every day sets an example that patriotism and love for one’s country are not just words, but actions. And today we are launching the People’s Front project ‘At the Top!’. This is a great opportunity for every ambitious, creative, and talented person to show that the desire to be successful, needed, and useful to their country, to contribute to its defense capability and competitiveness, requires not only words but actions,” said First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko.
He noted that the launch of the “At the Height!” project took place at the central headquarters of the People’s Front, which had previously served as the headquarters for hundreds of thousands of volunteers who helped people overcome the consequences of the pandemic within the framework of the #WeAreTogether project.
Dmitry Chernyshenko reminded that, by order of the head of state, the national project “Unmanned Aviation Systems” is being implemented from 2024, within the framework of which conditions have been created for the implementation of technological groundwork and the development of the education sector.
“Congratulations on the launch of the project ‘At the Height!’ which is very much needed by the country. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has set an ambitious goal – achieving technological leadership in the field of unmanned aerial systems. More than 700 educational institutions have received unique equipment for training young people in programming and controlling UAVs, so they can apply these skills when the Motherland needs them, including in the special military operation. The experience of our heroes, the SVO fighters, who provide feedback and tasks for the development of this project, is very important to us. Scientific and production centers are being created, involving more than 500 technological partners participating in the development of technologies in the field of unmanned aviation. I am confident that the impact of this project will be very significant. Young people, we will help you in every way, and you should let us know what else needs to be improved. Bon voyage!” – said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Deputy Prime Minister reminded that drone operation was one of the disciplines of the format gifted to the world by President Vladimir Putin – the first “Games of the Future.”
The Federal initiative of the People’s Front “At the Top!” unites four directions – the creation of a network of specialized UAV classes, the TV project “At the Top!”, the passing of GTO standards, and the organization of competitions for pilots. They will contribute to the popularization of unmanned technologies among youth, the development of engineering skills, and the formation of a talent pool for the new industry.
“Professions related to drones: engineers, developers, technicians, and the pilots themselves are professions of the future. The field of application of unmanned systems is expanding every day, so it is important to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to try themselves in this area. The project was named ‘At the Height!’—a name invented by the team of the show of the same name on TNT. Its participants also include kids from our UAV classes, which the People’s Front, together with partners, is opening across the country. By October, there will be 100 such classes, and next year we plan to open just as many more so that schoolchildren and students can learn to operate drones and become pilots and engineers. At the same time, we have made entry into the ‘At the Height!’ competition as accessible as possible: you can start with the computer stage even without your own equipment, and then move on to flights on real drones. I am confident that the project will unite hundreds of thousands of kids from all regions, and the best will be able to compete for a prize fund of 10 million rubles, gain the opportunity for internships, and further employment in leading companies in Russia,” emphasized Mikhail Kuznetsov.
Note that the People’s Front plans to open a network of UAV classes in 70 regions of Russia based at colleges and other educational institutions. Each class is designed for 5–12 workstations and is equipped with FPV drones, pilot goggles, simulators, engineering kits, flight zones, and other equipment. Currently, 40 classes are already operating where students acquire practical skills in managing, assembling, and maintaining drones.
In the new TV project “At the Height!”, drone piloting skills are demonstrated by teams comprising well-known actors, athletes, musicians, and bloggers along with professional pilots. In some episodes, these include students from the UAV classes of the People’s Front and veterans of the Special Military Operation, participating in the mentorship program of the People’s Front and the Faculty of Psychology of Lomonosov Moscow State University “Peer to Peer.”
In the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions, Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Chechen Republic, and the Republic of Bashkortostan, a pilot test of the GTO standards for UAV control has begun. Those wishing to participate in the all-Russian competition of pilots “At Height!” can register on the website of the People’s Front.
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