Is FPV Drone Racing the Next Big Spectator Sport?
Drones are so mainstream now and every day some clever boffin is figuring out a new way to utilise drones to make our life simpler. Drones are being used to deliver lifesaving medicine, spreading Wi-Fi, monitoring wildlife, tracking wildfires, and saving lives at sea - some are even using them to cheat at PokemonGO. But have you heard of FPV Drone Racing? Possibly not, well you’re not alone, but since this is tipped to be the next big thing, we decided to share this blog with you explaining why FPV Drone Racing might be worth paying attention to. Keep reading and discover what FPV drone racing is and how it’s taking off across the globe.
Image by LA Media
So what is it?
Well, FPV drone racing is kinda what it sounds like except for the FPV part and the drones are smaller, faster, and acrobatic in nature. Think of it as air dogfighting Top Gun style, except Goose and Maverick could have inverted much more easily with a drone. FPV (First Person View) means the drone pilots are using cameras mounted on their drones to see where they are going. Blinded to the world around them as they use goggles to get a first-person perspective from their drone using a camera. Imagine being on a really scary rollercoaster or soaring like a bird and you will get an idea of what it’s like. Ask any drone pilot why they do it and they all mostly reply that it’s a thrill seekers sport.
Image by LA Media
Using nimble high-speed drones, the pilots navigate complex aerial assault courses, neck in neck with the other pilots. This type of control requires lightening sharp reflexes and a keen eye. What is wonderful about this sport is anyone can do it! You don’t have to be a certain height, age, or sex to participate. It is an activity that can cross the gender and age gap with ease while uniting people in their need for speed, which is accounts for a lot of its appeal! Suddenly with a pair of goggles, you too can enter the “danger zone”.
FPV Drone Racing on the World Stage
In 2015, a 15-year-old UK pilot, Luke Bannister, snagged himself and his team a $250,000 cash prize at the World Drone Prix (WDP) 2016 premiere in Dubai. Some are even saying that FPV Drone racing could be the new Formula One. September 2016 Paris hosted its first-ever Drone Festival, which saw these zippy drones zooming at high-speed down the Champs Elysees and drew in hundreds of on-lookers and the attention of the world press. South Korea has just held its inaugural Drone Nationals this year and ESPN has plans to broadcast live the Drone World Championships from Hawaii. This year Scotland held her first-ever Open National Championship. With the skies, the limit keeps watching this space to see how drone racing takes off.
Image by LA Media
Coming to the TV near you!
A relatively young sport, FPV Drone racing has been around for just over a year as a serious competitive sport. Despite its youth, it’s swiftly gaining an avid following both online and offline. Big tech and sports companies are wasting no time getting in on sponsorship deals with the top drone pilots. In other countries like the US, Japan, and Dubai, FPV Drone racing has moved from being considered a backyard hobby to a big spectator sport of the future!
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