Red Bull Launches Into Drone Racing
Red Bull has become one of the newest corporations to get into the drone racing industry. Red Bull hosted its first drone racing tournament this October at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Drone racing has grown from what used to be a backyard hobby in abandoned buildings into a mainstream sport that can now be watched on ESPN. Not only is drone racing a serious business, it is now a professional sport in several countries around the world.
The Red Bull drone racing tournament allowed competitors to fly their drones weighing up to 1.5 kg, through an obstacle course. This made strategy more important than speed. During the tournament, 18 pilots from 14 countries participated in the competition. A 20-year old Austrian drone pilot emerged as the winner of the tournament. The competing drones reached speeds of up to 150 km/h! Besides flying through obstacle loops, the racing drones also contended with waterfalls and fire!
Austria, is not the only country to host such drone racing competitions. In 2016, Dubai hosted it’s first international drone racing competition. The Dubai World Drone Prix was a spectacular drone racing tournament. The tournament saw 150 pilots from all over the world compete for 32 spots in the finals. Gradually, each of the 32 competitors were eliminated until a winner emerged. The Dubai World Drone Prix is among the first drone racing tournaments that catered for spectators. The race was held at night to maximize the visual appeal and drones attached with colored LED lights that allowed the spectators to know exactly how the race was going down. Moreover, spectators also had the privilege of watching a multi-camera view on big screens.
In America, drone racing is slowly creeping into the mainstream to the point that professional drone racers can earn a six figure income! The Drone Racing League has become a major sporting event in America attracting about 28.2 million viewers on ESPN during the first season in 2016. The Drone Racing League now has several major sponsors.
Drone racing is also very popular in Australia. Australia is home to several drone racing tournaments. The winners of these tournaments get to participate in global drone racing competitions. All over the world, from America to Europe and Asia, several drone manufacturers are fueling the popularity of the sport by investing in drone racing competitions. Drone racing competitions help manufacturers produce more capable and resilient drones. This will further expand the drone industry as more and more people get involved.
|