Flying drones can’t be that hard, surely? And FPV drones (first-person view drones) are just a real-life version of a video game, right? So anyone can do it? Er… how about ‘no’? Not if this footage from this year’s Drone Racing League has anything to say about it.
For those that don’t know, FPV racing involves drones piloted by drivers who wear a first-person view helmet or visor. The drone’s point of view is broadcast onto the eye-mounted screen and pilots need to navigate obstacles while not spewing their lunch. There’s nothing like your eyes telling your brain that you’re moving, while your body goes ‘nuh-uh’, to unseat whatever you’ve eaten for the past 24 hours. Still, these pilots make it look easy. It’s not.
The thing about high-speed racing is that it’s… well, high-speed racing. It doesn’t really matter what you’re piloting, whether its an F1 vehicle, a 250cc motocycle, or a little drone around an aerial course — you’re going to need almost supernatural reaction times in order to keep up with the pack. If anyone could do it, we wouldn’t be giving out cash prizes for doing it faster than everyone else.
This Drone Racing League course is a new one, created for 2017 and incorporating most of a stadium, including the field, stands, corridors, and the parking structure, in its quest for a competitive track. Looks like they got it, based on how close the pack is during the onscreen time. Like it or not, this is going to be a much bigger sport in future.
Source: Drone Racing League