Professional drone racing league?

[pvolcko]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/developer-s ... 1439327632

I wonder how this can be made interesting enough to draw public interest and a spectating public. A 15 car Nascar pileup draws a crowd. A couple 250's crashing and falling to the ground doesn't.

How can this be elevated beyond those participating or that have a hobby level interest?

[danhampson]

I think the only way to get this to work would be to televise some racing live and have some slick editing like in the f1, track cams as well as live feed from the drones (ahhhh I said it).

I think if people got the sense of speed and proximity while sat in there own home they may be more likely to go to a live event, the sport is in it very early infancy and I think that next season the profile of the sport will be more prolific due to press coverage and social media.

I know that I will be competing in the uk next season and look forward to the future of organised fpv racing.

[pvolcko]

I don't know if "live" events will ever be attended broadly. I think it almost has to be through television/stream to enjoy this as a spectator. The size of the things and relatively large expanses used for courses (with and without obstacles to obstruct LOS vision) would make live viewing difficult. Maybe a closed circuit feed to viewing monitors could do it. Or encourage people to use goggles and tune into a channel that has the edited live feed?

But even on edited live feed... Can it be made interesting enough? I think they'd have to do something to allow close proximity flying without wrecks happening instantly. Maybe integrate laser "weapons" so people could disable/retard opponents for a time period?

[KevG]

Ah Paul Drone wars I like that, hit with laser puts opponent into GPS and Alt hold for a period, shooter then has to scarper

[Graham Lawrie]

I think we underestimate the attraction that FPV is bringing to the hobby.

TV and film companies are already investing in this and mark my words it will grow, people will make a lot of money at it and then the TV companies will bring in "Drone Wars" etc.
After being inside the FPV Scotland factory and seeing talented pilots race round, the noise is identical to F1 when you get the accoustics and 4 or 5 250,s racing at the same time:)

[Stambo]

I think we underestimate the attraction that FPV is bringing to the hobby.

TV and film companies are already investing in this and mark my words it will grow, people will make a lot of money at it and then the TV companies will bring in "Drone Wars" etc.
After being inside the FPV Scotland factory and seeing talented pilots race round, the noise is identical to F1 when you get the accoustics and 4 or 5 250,s racing at the same time:)

I agree, everyone that I have put my goggles on to has said the same thing, amazing.
It is something akin to pro gaming where people are earning a good living playing computer games.
I think it is probably a bit more geared toward TV viewing but just like motorsport there is nothing like being there.
And like motorsport, you generally only see a small portion of the track and watch the rest on a monitor.
A series of large monitors around the track and a good live editor switching from external cameras to onboard shots I think would make quite a spectacle.

I have been asked by a new local hobby shop if me and a few others would be interested in putting on a bit of a demo for a hobby expo they are going to run early next year due to the interest he is getting about "DRONE RACING"

[Graham Lawrie]

Its here:)

Global:)

[Stambo]

Hmm, global competition run simultaneously in different countries with identical courses.
Now that would be cool.

[Graham Lawrie]

Wouldnt it just:)

[murankar]

I'd this is done live they would need large screens to show the feeds. Plus having a bunch of placed cameras for course footage. This could catch do to the reality type TV we have today. I think the interwebz will be the main media outlet. Niebuhr question will be with the faa.

[pvolcko]

They'd need cameras staged around the course, but I think they need to be PZT type cams, not static. Ideally they'd be able to lock onto and track the quads as they came into, flew through, and went out of range. All automated tracking and repositioning to catch the next quad coming through the area. Then the director could just tell the boardman to switch feeds for dynamic live presentation of the race. Could also have a bank of cams in the a central location of the course and have one track each quad full time, full 360 degree panning and tracking zoom to get tight but not too tight. Allow people to select 4 feeds to watch simultaneously. Plus there's the live feeds from the quads themselves. Lot of bandwidth.

Lot of options, but static cams should be used sparingly for only particularly action packed turns or areas of the course. Exciting coverage would require motion camera work, cutting between views, etc. Just like a real car/truck type race (F1, NASCAR, Rally, dirt track, whatever).

[murankar]

Static in a sense if not flying. Yeah they would need to be able to pan, tilt and zoom as needed.