{"id":54993,"date":"2016-04-07T12:17:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T11:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mobilefun.co.uk\/blog\/?p=54993"},"modified":"2016-04-07T13:25:34","modified_gmt":"2016-04-07T12:25:34","slug":"drone-racing-its-a-bit-like-robot-wars-meets-tron-but-is-it-starting-to-become-more-mainstream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mobilefun.co.uk\/blog\/2016\/04\/drone-racing-its-a-bit-like-robot-wars-meets-tron-but-is-it-starting-to-become-more-mainstream\/","title":{"rendered":"Drone Racing. It’s a bit like Robot Wars meets TRON, but is it starting to become more mainstream?"},"content":{"rendered":"

WARNING: THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS SOME KICK-ASS\u00a0VIDEO CONTENT<\/p>\n

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It may come as no surprise that drone racing has become popular – give two men a 80 mph flying robot and their natural\u00a0instinct will be\u00a0to see who can fly the fastest.<\/strong> But the fact that drone racing has already evolved into, dare we say it, an organised sport with $1,000,000 prizes, comes as quite a surprise\u00a0–\u00a0it seems like only yesterday that we were flying our first drone, wondering how to get it off neighbour Betty’s roof after the battery\u00a0ran\u00a0out…<\/em><\/p>\n

So will it become mainstream? Perhaps\u00a0scooping up some of Formula 1’s disenchanted fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well it’s far too early to tell. But 2016 has seen a definite evolution – with host Dubai throwing their considerable wealth behind the first World Drone Grand Prix and the Drone Racing League announcing a global race series – ensuring\u00a0it’s certainly got some momentum behind it.<\/p>\n

The accessibility of drones may also help with increasing its popularity. From teens to former race car drivers, drone pilots come in all shapes and sizes. \u00a0Starting out is also fairly easy – you can buy\u00a0a beginner’s drone for around \u00a330 and it doesn’t take physical fitness, just quick reactions and\u00a0insane piloting skills.<\/p>\n

So how does it work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, the race itself is\u00a0relayed via real-time video through a pair of goggles to the pilot. The pilot then controls the drone via a hand\u00a0control (much like the sort you’d find attached to a ps4).<\/p>\n

Pilots race their drones around a pre-defined course and the\u00a0audience can track the action as each drone is kitted out with high\u00a0visibility\u00a0LED lights.<\/p>\n

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World Drone Prix<\/h3>\n

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Last month Dubai hosted the first World Drone Prix. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over 100 teams from around the world competed for glory – the winning pilot\u00a0incidentally was 15-year-old underdog\u00a0Luke Bannister from the UK, who pipped Dubai’s homegrown team to the post to scoop the\u00a0$250,000 prize. Perhaps a slight local upset, but the Crown Prince is reportedly still committed to\u00a0hosting more drone racing in the\u00a0\u2018World Future Sports Games\u2019 next year!<\/p>\n

The event itself drew a crowd of over 2,000 people and had a similar atmosphere to the sort you’d find at a\u00a0Formula 1 race\u00a0– lots of glamour, testosterone and all-in-one race suits.<\/p>\n

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Pilots had to manoeuvre their drones around the custom outdoor\u00a0course through a series of illuminated loops. One pit-stop was taken per team, where the drone’s battery was changed by the craft’s team.<\/p>\n

“Normally drone races are flat-out sprints, but here it comes down to those with the best tactics,” pilot Chad\u00a0Nowak told Ars Technica. “This event has so many variables to consider: battery power, pit changes, track routes and setups,” adds winner Luke Bannister.<\/p>\n

Crashes and collisions were common as pilots juggled to cut corners and achieve the fastest time. But the overall event was hailed a success.<\/p>\n

Watch a video showcasing\u00a0the World Drone Prix Final below:<\/p>\n

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