It’s not just sci-fi anymore!
Drone racing takes the world by storm
A Drone, piloted by Ben Eishen, is flown through Freeman Park in Bartlett, TN. Racing drones use no auto stabilization and rely on the pilot’s skill to keep it airborne.
Have you ever wanted to win one million dollars for playing with toys? FPV drone racing may be the sport for you!
In the past year, there has been a massive uprising for the sport of drone racing, going from “underground” races to world series races, including one in Dubai with a cash prize of $250,000. The winner of this year’s world series was Luke Bannister, a 15-year-old from England. This was the first World Drone Prix, meaning the prize pool can only go up from there.
Drone racing is a sport that takes mini quadcopters of different class sizes and puts them head-to-head on a fast, tight-turning course that puts the pilot’s skills to the test.
Most racers build their own drones for different styles of flying. Some build them for speed, some for agility and others for acrobatics. These different types of builds all have their place in drone racing and drone competitions, though each build has a heavy startup cost. While most builds can cost well over $500, it is possible to make a cheaper racing drone.
Senior Noah Woods helped build a racing drone and said building his drone took a couple of weekends to finish, though it was “not too bad” to build.
Of course, there are drone companies out there selling pre-made competition drones that are ready to fly when they arrive at your doorstep. Junior Matthew Blum, an amateur aerial videographer, said he prefers this to building a drone himself.
“I would probably go out and buy a pre-made drone, only because I am not good with stuff like that,” Blum said.
While Blum, an experienced drone pilot, said he would consider paying up to $500 for a racing drone, Memphis FPV, or first person view, pilot Ben Eishen voices that this is not the best route to go about when emerging yourself into the hobby of fast-flying racing drones.
“I would tell all newcomers to buy a $20 drone and get comfortable with it,” Eishen said. “And, if you find yourself always picking it up, then advance forward.” These drones can cost hundreds of dollars for race frames and electronics, so it is not for the faint-hearted.
The Memphis Drone Racing Chapter hosts many races and acrobatic competitions throughout the year, and their next competition is on May 22. While these small races are usually not for cash prizes, many throughout the world are.
The Drone Nationals is hosting their annual competition in New York City this year on August 5 to 7, an event where many famous YouTubers and competitive racers will be racing their drones for a cash prize. It will also be streamed on ESPN3, an online streaming channel for ESPN. This event will include races, but it will also host a freestyle competition.
“I don’t think it will ever be mainstream,” Eishen said of drone racing. “Like billiards, I don’t ever see it being mainstream like football.”
While drone racing may never be as large as football or basketball, it has the potential to become a much larger sport than it is now. In fact, it may be the sport of the future.
