Presidential Instruction
Background
A presidential instruction is an executive directive issued by the President of Russia to subordinate authorities, in this case the Cabinet of Ministers. In the profile provided, it concerns the planned inclusion of drone racing in the national GTO fitness program, which would affect athletes, students, and regional authorities involved in sports policy and program implementation. Its practical significance lies in setting an administrative mandate for ministries and related agencies to prepare proposals and organize the policy changes needed to incorporate a new activity into an existing state system.
The instruction was issued after a November 2025 Council meeting on sports policy and set a deadline of 15 April 2026 for the submission of proposals. It came from the President as part of the federal executive hierarchy and was directed to the government for follow-up action. The policy context was Russia’s broader effort to update the GTO program, a state physical fitness framework, by adding a new discipline that had not previously been included in the program. According to the article summary, pilot testing was to begin in four regions before wider implementation, with full integration planned for 2027–2028.
In practical terms, the instruction changed the status quo by formally starting the process of recognizing drone racing within a national sports and fitness framework. The proposed measures included benefits for participants who met GTO standards, such as tax deductions and university-related advantages mentioned in the article summary. By giving the government a specific deadline and policy direction, the instruction created an administrative pathway for converting a sports policy idea into a regulated program element. It also signaled that drone racing would be treated not only as a recreational activity but as a discipline eligible for state-supported incentives.
Timeline
The Presidential Instruction directed that drone racing be added to the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028.
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive BenefitsThe Presidential Instruction triggered pilot testing of the drone-racing GTO standards in four regions.
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive BenefitsThe Presidential Instruction envisaged benefits for badge holders, including tax deductions and extra points for university admission.
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits
Documents
Drone Pilots Who Pass GTO Standards to Receive Benefits
Russia plans to add drone racing to the GTO national fitness program by 2027–2028, following a Putin directive, with pilot testing in four regions and benefits including tax deductions and university admission points for badge holders.