44 INNOVATION & TECH TODAY^ |^ 2020 YEAR-END ISSUE
Now This is
Drone Racing!
Everything You Need to Know About This Exciting New Sport
By Alex Moersen
In July of 2017, the Drone Racing League set
the Guiness World Record for the fastest drone.
The top speed? 179.6 miles per hour. To put
that in perspective, the 1.76-pound drone, called
the DRL Racer X, can move faster than a Tesla
at top speed in Ludicrous Mode. With such
impressive speeds, it’s not surprising drone
racing has become one of the most exciting
new additions to the sports and entertainment
catalogue.What began in Germany in 2011 as a handful
of amateur pilots getting together for drone
races has slowly become an international
phenomenon. In fact, BMW held the DroneRacing League’s (DRL) 2018
Semi-Finals race at their
automobile museum, selling
out the event with 3,000 fans.
Here’s what you need to know
about drone racing.How Does it Work?
The goal of FPV drone
racing is simple: finish the
designated course as quickly as
possible with your high-speed
drone. The FPV in this case
stands for “first person view,”
meaning each drone isoutfitted with a camera, which sends its feed to
a pair of goggles that the pilot wears. In essence,
the pilot sees what the drone sees.Racing drones are designed for speed rather
than photography or video. While photography
quadcopters are designed in an X-pattern, a
racing model will typically have its four motors
configured in an H-pattern, which helps to
thrust the drone forward, rather than up. In
addition, three- or four-blade propellers have
shorter diameters, allowing for a small frame
with increased acceleration and maneuverability.
While the world record is 179.6 miles per hour,
the drones tend to race at around 90 miles per
hour.The courses can vary depending on the league.
Some are shorter, about a mile long, with
intricate design and obstacles. Others take place
outside, utilizing natural and manmade
elements to create the course.