Racing

Drone racing like ‘a real-life video game’

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pauldowding

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Forget package delivery. Drone owners have found a much more thrilling use for their radio-controlled flying machines: racing.

The hobby has soared in popularity over the last few months, with a rapid rise in the number of new tournaments across North America.

More than a hundred pilots converged in California last month for the United States’ first drone racing championship, and Canada is set to follow suit with a tourney in Collingwood on Friday.

Racing drones, unlike those flown by police, are small, weighing less than a kilogram, and can reach breakneck speeds — more than 100 km/h.

They’re controlled differently, too. Before a race starts, pilots don video goggles that let them see what the drone sees.

“The whole idea of putting on a set of goggles and flying this thing is like nothing else,” said Paul Dowling, the owner of Autobotix, a store that specializes in racing drones in Toronto.

“You are flying it. You will crash. You will feel like you crashed. It’s not uncommon to see someone flying and see them fall over when they crash.”

Jason Ambeault, project manager at a tech company, discovered drone racing after watching a YouTube video last December that showed a dozen UAVs whizzing through a forest in France. As an avid gamer, the feeling of immersion from a first-person perspective was a huge draw, he said.

“I’ve always been interested in remote-control cars and airplanes, from my great uncle years and years ago,” he said. “It’s like being in a real-life video game, basically.”

Now that he’s become an adept pilot, he hopes to win his first big race at the Collingwood Nationals. But he’ll face stiff competition with rivals from around the world, including the U.S and China.

Winning that race, he said, will require more than just a quick machine.

“It’s won in the corner,” he said. “If you can do efficient moves in the corners, then you’ll have a chance at winning. It’s about skills. The faster you are, the higher chance you have of crashing.”

In Toronto, rules surrounding the commercial use of drones remain murky. In April, Mayor John Tory’s executive committee unanimously approved a motion by Councillor James Pasternak asking city staff to report back on a “strategy governing the use of drones in the City of Toronto’s outdoor spaces.”

Drone flights are also regulated by Transport Canada.

But those restrictions have yet to dampen enthusiasm for the hobby.

“The market is growing exponentially worldwide by the day. It’s inconceivable the amount of growth in the past few months,” Dowling said. “People are starting to see that this is not a fad.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/08/18/gamers-gear-up-for-drone-racing-weekend.html

 

Developer Stephen Ross’s RSE Ventures Invests in Drone Racing

Posted on by mecicon

chadnovak

By EMILY NONKO

Developer Stephen Ross is renowned in real estate for high-profile projects around the country and in sports for his ownership of the Miami Dolphins.

Now he is looking to make a name for himself in a new niche: drone racing.

RSE Ventures, a venture-capital firm co-founded by Mr. Ross, is providing $1 million to the first round of funding for the Drone Racing League, a New York startup that is planning its first public race later this year. The League intends to make money through sponsorships, media and ticket sales.

Over the years numerous spectator sports have enjoyed splashy debuts and harbored hopes of becoming mainstream, from roller derby to arena football. After the initial buzz faded, interest in the sports often has petered out.

The Drone Racing League is targeting a growing audience: videogame players and other technology-oriented types. The venture hopes to re-create the success of live videogame competitions, which lately have been packing arenas like Madison Square Garden.

Hobbyists have experimented with racing drones since the machines started to be commercially available two years ago. Lately the races have become more practical as drones have declined in price and increased in speed.

Hobbyists typically race the so-called “250 Class” of drones, which cost $300 to $500 and can hit speeds of 70 miles an hour, and racers through the Drone Racing League will pilot similar drones. The machines are nimble enough to navigate the old factories and other interior spaces in which the Drone Racing League is planning its races.


https://youtu.be/oEXm_f9o1W8
Earlier this summer, the League held a nonpublic trial race inside the abandoned Glenwood Power Plant in Yonkers. Six pilots standing on the power plant floor controlled their drones as they flew down the warehouse’s hallways and through open windows.

There are typically five to seven participants per race. Racers wear virtual-reality goggles that make it feel as if they are in the “cockpit” of the drone, which translates to video content.

“It’s a completely immersive experience that’ll make you feel like you’re flying,” said Drone Racing League founder Nick Horbaczewski.

Mr. Ross might seem an unusual trailblazer in this arena. The 75-year-old developer is best known for projects like Time Warner Center and Hudson Yards in New York and mixed-use projects in Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, Las Vegas, Chicago and other cities. But Mr. Ross also has a passion for sports. He has owned a stake in the Miami Dolphins since 2008, and today owns 95% of the franchise and Sun Life Stadium.

In 2012, Mr. Ross and Matt Higgins founded RSE Ventures, which stands for Ross Sports and Entertainment.

“I saw the opportunity to construct a platform of companies that could create new opportunities and dynamic experiences across sports, entertainment and technology,” Mr. Ross said in a written statement.

RSE also operates the International Champions Cup, a yearly soccer competition featuring big-name teams from around the world, and developed FanVision Puck, a mobile technology available at sporting events. As for investments, the company backs more than 90 early-stage companies, according to Mr. Higgins.

Mr. Horbaczewski started the Drone Racing League after working as chief revenue officer at Tough Mudder, an obstacle race held in locations around the world.

“I felt [drone racing] could be a sport that resonated with people because it touches on the heritage of racing, but also brings in the benefits of new technology,” he said.

The Drone Racing League isn’t the only organization hosting races. This summer, a two-day competition called the U.S. National Drone Racing Championships took place at Bonney Field, an outdoor sports venue in Sacramento.

More than 120 pilots participated, but “public turnout was less than spectacular,” said racing director Scot Refsland, who felt that hot temperatures deterred spectators.

Mr. Refsland said the sport might need to make some changes to become more fan friendly. “It’s not exciting to watch gnats fly in a football field all day,” he said. He believes the sport will become more appealing if spectators can view the images racers see through their virtual reality goggles.

Mr. Higgins acknowledged that RSE’s investment in the Drone Racing League is a risky one. “Our first threshold to cross is to persuade the world that this has potential to be a sport,” he said.

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/developer-stephen-rosss-rse-ventures-invests-in-drone-racing-1439327632

Drone racing takes off

Posted on by mecicon
 – See more at: http://digital.asiaone.com/digital/news/drone-racing-takes#sthash.c3aUWlsA.dpuf

Benson Ang

It is not the Clone Wars in Star Wars, but it is close.

Drawn to the adrenaline rush, speed and thrill of piloting drones, groups of men mostly in their 30s and 40s are spending their weekends at open fields in Punggol, Old Holland Road and Tuas to see who can fly the fastest and most skilfully.

In drone racing, a CCTV camera installed on each drone transmits video via radio signals to a mounted monitor or special video goggles.

Racers watch this video and see the world from the drone’s perspective.

They also control the drones, which can fly over obstacles and do stunts such as turns, somersaults, dips, flips and barrel rolls.

The drones can go up to 120km an hour – faster than a speeding car.

Says an enthusiast, PhD researcher Ervine Lin, 33: “When you are darting under obstacles and flying close to the ground, it gets the adrenaline pumping.”

Adds another racer, sports consultant Mohammed Zacky, 35: “It’s an immersive experience, like you’re strapped in the machine yourself. You can go anywhere, in any direction.”

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) says those seeking to race drones in Singapore have to apply for permits.

She says: “There are significant safety risks from drone racing, such as the speed at which the unmanned aircraft is operated and the proximity to spectators of the unmanned aircraft during the race.

“CAAS will issue the necessary permits only if we are satisfied that safety risks will be adequately addressed.”

Typically weighing about 500g each and measuring 30cm in diameter, racing drones are smaller and lighter than those used for photography.

They are available at some hobby shops here, and racing drones are also cheaper and can cost from $300 to $1,000. The pricier models are generally lighter or have more powerful engines.

Mr Garry Huang, 34, owner of Drone Matters, a local company which customises and sells racing drones, says: “It’s common for drones to crash to the ground or into a tree.

“The drone’s body – typically made of carbon fibre – can withstand such crashes. You usually need to replace only the propellers, which cost $1 or $2 each.”

In recent years, the sport has caught on in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, the United States, China and Japan.

Enthusiasts say the informal weekend races here started last year. According to estimates, there are more than 500 drone racers here – all of them amateurs. Some drone interest groups organise meet-ups through their Facebook pages or WhatsApp group chats.

Official drone races have also been held here.

One, organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, took place at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre in April this year and drew about 80 participants.

Another, organised by Singapore Polytechnic’s aviation club, took place on the institution’s premises two months ago. It had 24 participants.

Those in the open category had to race around a track, flying over obstacles and under airgates. They also had to perform tight, 270-degree turns with precision and speed.

University student Wong Wen Jie, 23, emerged champion in the category, winning $2,000 worth of drone parts.

He says: “To win, you need not only speed, but also skill. If you go fast but cannot corner well, you will fly off the course and get disqualified.”

Every weekend, he races with a group of friends. About 10 of them usually show up, although only four can race at any one time without radio-frequency interference, he says.

Under the Unmanned Aircraft (Public Safety and Security) Act, which came into force two months ago, drone operators need an operator and an activity permit from CAAS to fly an unmanned aircraft that weighs more than 7kg, or for any business purpose, or if the operation is not recreational in nature or for research.

Says the CAAS spokesman: “The definition of recreation excludes organised group sporting activities such as drone racing.”

The drone racers Life spoke to say they intend to abide by the rules. There have been no instances of damage to property, they say, even when their drones crash.

Says Mr Wong: “We are very particular about safety and generally hold our races in places that are deserted anyway.

“We don’t want our drones to interfere with other people or want others to interfere with our race.”

Catch the thrills of drone racing in this video str.sg/ZnGB

– See more at: http://digital.asiaone.com/digital/news/drone-racing-takes#sthash.c3aUWlsA.dpuf