Gaming
Games
Drone Racing: The Sport of the Future
It’s the most recent tech/sport crossover, and it is fast gaining popularity. Here’s why the region should take notice of drone racing.
As the demand for esports increases, so does the type of tournaments associated with it. And while video gaming has become big business around the world – we even have our very own esports athlete in the Middle East – a new crossover is slowly but surely making its mark: drone racing.
Although growing in popularity, drone racing today still remains something of an underground phenomenon. In fact, there are very few pilots who are able to support themselves competing in the sport.
Said to have originated in Australia in 2013 – when loosely organised, relatively underground events began taking place in Melbourne and Brisbane – participants use radio-controlled drones that are equipped with cameras to complete a course as fast as possible.
MIDDLE EAST DEBUT
It was just late last month that a drone racing tournament finale came to the region for the first time. Although there are many leagues, events, and organisations, the Drone Racing League – or DRL – is considered by most to be the cornerstone of competitive drone racing. And 3,000 fans headed to the King Abdullah Economic City arena in Jeddah to catch the 2018 DRL finals.
Meanwhile, millions tuned in on television thanks to the 2018 edition being broadcast in 90 countries around the world, including ESPN.
“In Saudi Arabia it’s a growing sport,” Nouf Al-Rakan, CEO of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, said in an interview at the time. “To help increase the demand and at the same time teach our Saudi pilots, we thought of bringing this championship to Saudi Arabia.”
Speaking of how he got into the sport, Saudi pilot Abdulhadi Azouz added: “I used to watch a lot of YouTube videos and I saw a lot of these drones being put into racing styles, and I said: ‘Man, I need to get into this!’”
A BRIEF HISTORY
Drone racing seems to capitalise on having a good sense of entertainment value, with pilots developing quirky character arcs and charismatic qualities. Jordan ‘Jet’ Temkin quickly became a fan favourite after winning the inaugural championship of the DRL in 2016. At the time, the Colorado native earned a $100,000 contract to become the world’s first professional drone pilot.
The now 26-year-old also topped the DRL last year.
As the sport has progressed, so have the tactics that drone racers use to gain the competitive advantage over one another. Some racers make use of simulators when they're not at the track, to hone their skills in a risk-free environment. Beginners will often develop basic level skills with the help of simulators, before moving on to an open field course. The sport of drone racing certainly proves that the pathway to glory is riddled with mistakes, as many professionals have gone through tens of destroyed drones to reach the skill level they are at today.
Although drone technology differs, the pilots themselves aren't allowed to enter their own drones in certain leagues, as drones are provided to ensure a high degree of competitive fairness.
The fastest drones can top off at speeds near 290 km/h. The DRL Racer X, one of the DRL’s premiere record-setting builds, peaks at 288 km/h. The DRL Racer X only weighs 798 grams, and is a souped-up version of the Racer3, the leagues standard for racing events.
In the world of drone racing, there are both DIY (do it yourself) and RTF (ready to fly) racers. DIY Racers tend to pride themselves on the complete process, especially the building of a drone from the ground up. RTF racers, on the other hand, focus exclusively on the racing side of the sport. FPV cameras are usually tilted an additional 30 degrees upwards, so that pilots can combat the downward momentum that the front of a fast-moving drone is naturally subjected to.
COURSES
Drone racing settings vary from the traditional wide open field, to the enclosed yet obstacle ridden course. Usually, professional courses call for supreme evasion tactics as racers dodge and duck a number of obstacles and pitfalls. Obstacles come in many shapes and sizes, including different gates, towers, ladders, and hoops.
Some racers are better at acclimating to new racing environments than others. Over time, unique courses eventually develop reputations for having standout features, such as sharp turns. Although speed ultimately decides the winner of each event, certain elements of every course call for a slower approach, such as chicanes. Some courses focus primarily on speed, whereas others are considerably more technical. A good mix of both is said to be the best option for developing a well-rounded skill-set as a drone pilot.
Will you be giving it a go? Tweet us your thoughts to @RedBullUAE!
