Drone racing is a brand new sport designed around ultra fast and manoeuvrable unmanned aerial craft, or flying drones as we know them.
The sport is also known as FPV (First Person View) racing because competitors use monitors or goggles to pilot their craft as if they were riding in the cockpit. The use of googles was adopted from the radio controlled model aeroplane market, but instantly found a firm foot hold in the drone scene, due to the inherent stability of multi rotor flying drones. The sensation of aerial racing in first person perspective makes drone racing a very exciting sport indeed.
The concept is simple, competitors race round a specially laid out track and the fastest drone pilot wins. Cameras mounted on the drones themselves not only allow the drone operators to control their craft, but can also give spectators a bird’s eye view of the action. The sport is growing as fast as drone technology, and is as much fun to take part in, as it is to watch.
Racing drones are unlike normal drones, because they are built purely for speed, so to get involved in the sport you really need to know how to fly. Any good drone pilot who owns a remote control drone with a camera can in theory join in, but the serious contenders will often trade pretty much everything to gain a bit of oomph. As a result, racing drones can be quite light and fragile. A good quality UAV will be capable of speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour, but its not unheard of for racing drones to double that.
Drone racing is not for the faint of heart, pushing your thousand dollar plus drone to the absolute limit of speed and agility just to make the next bend is tough going, but it does make for captivating viewing.
The sport is young, but we at Airstoc predict it will have a big future. If you’d like to get involved, but don’t think your drone has the horsepower to take on the field, then there’s another way to participate.
Freestyle Drone Racing is pretty much as simple as it sounds. Competitors take turns to fly their drones in any way they see fit and points are awarded for cool manoeuvres, control and style. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be ‘top gun’, then freestyle could well be for you, but once again be careful. Free-styling is all about tricky moves and close calls and if you don’t like the idea of seeing your beloved UAV smashed into a gazillion pieces because you epically failed that barrel roll through a basket ball hoop, then maybe it’s best just to watch.
Original Article at: blog.airstoc.com