Inside high-tech world of drone racing – from 90mph Top Gun maneuvers to computerized goggles that have pilot’s POV
SUPER high-tech, state-of-the-art drones zip around at speeds of an incredible 90 mph as ace pilots wearing computerized goggles battle it out in decked-out arenas that feel like stepping inside a video game.
A capacity crowd is on the edge of their seats as the magnificent flying machines defy logic by twisting this way and that, disappearing behind walls before zooming back into view.
This is the Drone Racing League – and it’s a sport that is rising to prominence and gaining popularity with every breakneck race.
Alex Vanover, 23, was crowned DRL world champion in 2019 and is one of the greatest pilots on Earth having started racing while a teenager.
The Texas native is gearing up to show he’s still got what it takes when Miami’s Marlins Stadium hosts some of the DRL season championship finale on February 25.
And Vanover has taken The U.S. Sun behind his space-age goggles to explain what makes one of the most exciting new sports around so dramatic.
“I’ve grown up watching lots of different types of racing from Formula One and NASCAR,” he exclusively tells The U.S. Sun.
“And drone racing is just so much more special because it really is like a sport out of the future. The drone pilots who are racing, we’re flying with these goggles on our heads. And we were seeing exactly what the drone sees.
“That allows us to make sure that we can push our limits to the maximum possible because obviously, we’re not in the drone.
“What that means is we’re getting just great racing for the fans. And as a spectator, just watching the drones zipping right by your face at 90 miles an hour is just incredible to watch. “
Racers take part in multiple heats throughout the event with the fastest pilots moving forward into the grand finale.
“The way the format structured, it’s a very intense pace and a lot of great races are happening back to back to back,” Vanover said.
“You can really count on some amazing racing in Miami.”
In the early days of drone racing, competitors would meet up in a field or other open spaces and simply watch their machines whizz through the air.
Now, though, DRL is flying in the face of tradition.
For each event, a whopping 600 drones equipped with the best tech are constructed, with every pilot receiving a brand-new machine.
No one will have an advantage – it all comes down to pure piloting skill.
“We’re flying the best stuff in the world. So with the video system and the goggles, that’s all DRL technology which allows us to be able to fly in these crazy venues and stadiums behind walls, over the stadium, and outside,” said Vanover.
“That’s another thing that makes the DRL special because in the amateurs, we were racing in open cornfields because it’s all the technology allowed us to do.
“But when we wear the goggles, we’re seeing a live transmission from the drone.
“And that transmission can be broadcast through walls so we’re able to fly these crazy different types of courses and have multiple different pilots at the same time.
“Just having that confidence and assurance in the gear that you’re flying is such a massive help.
“When we’re flying the drones as a pilot, we get so into it while we’re flying that we actually forget that we’re still sitting or standing on the ground!
“So when we crash, you might see the pilots jolt just for a split second because they’re almost snapping back into reality.
“It’s kind of cool.”
Any drone owners out there can buy their own goggles and step into the shoes of Vanover and his rivals.
But what sets the DRL apart is the radio frequency technology which allows the drones to fly behind walls or other parts of the course and not lose connection.
High-speed smashes, however, are thankfully par for the course.
“They’re pretty well built, but at this level, when a pilot hits something, the drone is pretty much wiped out,” he said.
“And who doesn’t want to see a drone smashed on the floor?”
Drones have soared in popularity in the last few years – and the best is yet to come.
“I would say that, in probably 15, 20 years, drone delivery is going to be huge for commercial uses,” said Vanover.
“You’ll probably be able to get your pizza delivered with the drone, your packages, your groceries, even just because in a lot of cases, it’ll be more efficient than just, you know, driving or any other delivery service.
“But there are other creative ways that people don’t see drones being used in this industry – search and rescue, not having to send a firefighter into a burning building where you can just send a drone in there to see if there are people in there.
“These things are starting to happen. And the foundation is being laid for this to really build over the next few years which is very exciting.”
Last year the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that its inaugural Olympic Esports Week will be held in Singapore this June.
That announcement was a major step forward for gaming which surely then paves the way for the likes of drone racing to join them in the future.
“I see DRL becoming one of the premier sports, especially with eSports now becoming very prominent,” said the former world champ who also works for a company that provides special footage for films and music videos.
“When people come to watch and see the drones dip over their heads, they get hooked.
“It’s going to be in the mainstream soon. Probably the Olympics too!”