How to Get Into Professional Drone Racing
In professional drone racing, pilots drive multicopters around the stadium with FPV (first-person view) goggles that surround them with the eyes of their drone. Drone racing is very different from the old hobby of RC racing. According to the founder of the Drone Racing League, Nicholas Gorbachevsky, most of the participants are between 13 and 34 years old. Courses (built in places such as stadiums, warehouses, and abandoned buildings) are often lit up as a nightclub. And while many pilots have experience in eSports and model racing, a few have experience in sports such as snowboarding and motocross, which brings some surprisingly relevant skills to the stand-still sport.
According to Gorbachevsky, this is because drone racing is more physically demanding than model racing or most video games. First-person glasses convince your body that you are your drone. “These drones can reach speeds of over 80 miles per hour,” says Gorbachevsky. “You have to make a lot of strategic decisions about how you pass when you pass.” And you need to control your adrenaline as you make that choice.
Become a professional now
Right now, Gorbachevsky is preparing for the Swatch DRL 2019 tests, which will take place on February 9 at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, where about 200 pilots will conduct virtual drone races at Esports Arena. The winner will receive a $ 75,000 contract with the Drone Racing League to race physical drone at other DRL events.
While many racing pilots are also hobbyists who build and customize drones, all DRL races use the same drone (usually a new model every season). The pit crew is supplied by the league. So the competition depends solely on the skills of each pilot. This weekend, while there are several side events going on, the main competition will be completely virtual, so nothing depends on luck.
Anyone looking to qualify can buy the $ 20 DRL Racing Simulator on Steam . There is no additional entry fee (and there is no entry fee to race or watch the live stream), but in order to pass the qualifying tests, you must complete the simulator qualification level less than 9 minutes before February 1st.
Join the amateur league
For those of us who can’t get to Vegas, there are many other ways to get into drone racing. Gorbachevsky started the sport just four years ago on a field behind a home warehouse on Long Island before starting his own league. For new drivers, in addition to the tests in their league, he recommends MultiGP , organization of races on drones with amateur offices worldwide. The DRL, which specializes in major events, only had seven races last year, while MultiGP has races on a weekly basis. (MultiGP is hosting the Las Vegas Racing Championship on the same weekend as the DRL, the winner will compete in the DRL competition.)
MultiGP is one of several amateur drone racing organizations; There are also organizations that focus on drone photography. There are many overlaps; says Gorbachevsky: “Many of our pilots are incredibly talented aerial operators.” DRL pilot Johnny FPV hosts a YouTube channel with drone videos ofracing cars ,stunt skis andabandoned buildings .
If you need to practice, just hold the thing in the air for five minutes, use a simulator like DRL to practice. Since DRL has developed a simulator for realistic, exhibition-ready racing simulators for real drone pilots, this is an effective way to practice piloting without breaking a lot of $ 300 racing drones. Once you master this, pack your gear and find a local racing club, or head straight to Vegas.