Drone Racing League racing aims to be ‘the sport of the future’

Drone racing is a sport that’s becoming increasingly popular with drone enthusiasts and on a budget level consists of a fairly make-shift course either using man-made obstacles, or a course set out around a forest, then you’ve got the more high-end drone racers, like the one below, courtesty of Quartz. The Drone Racing League is a new organisation started by Nick Horbaczewski, which has the backing of a number of investors including Stephen Ross, the owner of the Miami Dolphins; Matt Bellamy, the lead singer of Muse; and Lerer Hippeau Ventures, a NY venture capital firm. These custom drones can not be purchased anywhere else, but have been constructed by the DRL for their races. Locations haven’t been finalized for the remaining four events, but locations under consideration include Detroit; Auckland, New Zealand; and Mexico City. DRL’s first official race was in the Dolphins’ stadium, and its next one will be in an abandoned mall in Los Angeles-and after each event, the DRL will produce a series of episodic videos of the races.

DRL won’t be the first to organize the drone-racing scene, though it hopes to gain dominance as the sport’s fan base grows. This make the course and the drones a bit easier to spot with the naked eye, and also a video to watch for aficionados.

At previous racing events, devices have crashed when pilots have lost video connections.

Drone racing is different than flying a typical hobbyist’s drone. Pilots who finish the season with the most points can compete for the title of World’s Best Drone Pilot. There are tight corners and insane crashes, with the drones being controlled by professionals each armed with a set of goggles, allowing them to see a first-person viewpoint of the action.