How Fast Are Racing Drones? FAA Limit, Top Speed, and more…
To answer your question simply, the top speed permitted by the authorities is 100 mph. However, the answer isn’t this straightforward. There is quite a science behind flying a drone and how you can manage to go as fast as possible, even if your drone is not one of the racing ones. We are going to compile all the information that you will need to know when it comes to maneuvering the drone smoothly. A majority of us has already heard of this term and also understand its basic function. A drone is an unmanned flying gadget that has gained quite popularity in the recent past.
When you will step out in the market looking for a drone that can satisfy your requirements, you will need to, first, narrow down your search. For example, if you are a camera enthusiast, the drone that you are going to buy should be more focused on camera functionality.
If you are planning to participate in casual races, you should go with the one that has the top speed to offer. There are also some kids’ or toy drones that are available in the market that don’t have an onboard camera, but you can use them to participate in some casual races in your backyard or at any park.
A few racing drones you can pick
Well, we understand that you are here to find the lore behind the functionality of the drone, it would be better if you know a few options beforehand. DJI is a brand that is offering many drones in all categories. The one that you can buy, if the budget isn’t an issue, is DJI Mavic Pro. The top speed offered by the UAV is 41 mph. Well, this is the speed that you will rarely touch, and according to multiple flyers, the average speed up to which people fly is 11-13 mph.
Moving towards a more affordable range, you can settle for the Holy Stone HS170 drone. The features that are offered here are quite competitive and the overall build quality is also top-notch. All the drones that we are mentioning here are reviewed in detail on our website.
Another option that you can go for is the Altair Outlaw SE drone. It’s the best drone that you can pick for yourself in the budget category. The salient features include GPS, headless mode, etc. For beginners, the headless mode will be quite effective in providing easy learning.
Though the legal limit for a drone is 100 mph, there are a few options from the list of commercial drones that go way past that limit. The top speed offered on one of the commercial drones is 129 mph and it will require a separate authorization from the FAA.
When it comes to the rules and regulations, drones weighing below 250 grams don’t need to be registered with the authorities. You will be able to find some of the racing drones that aren’t very top-notch quality but can go to much higher speeds.
Why drones are slow? Blame gravity.
Yes, you might think why on the earth gravity is blamed for drones flying slow. But, hear me out, gravity is one of the significant reasons behind the slow pace of the drones, even when the motors are way more capable. We are going to first understand the lift technique used by an airplane.
The airflow that is being put on the wings is responsible for keeping the airplane in the air. When it comes to drones or any flying object with a rotary motor, propellers will lift it from the ground.
Now, once in the air, the airplane will need to exert some force to gain some speed horizontally. This is where the drone lacks behind. The propellers are continuously fighting gravity to stay in the air and this model is more suitable to hover rather than flying.
When you try to move, the propellers will tip sideways to provide thrust so that the drone can move and maintain itself in the air. When you will increase the speed, the drone will further tip. In case you don’t have good control and the drone has reached a sideways position, it will fall instantly. Hence, gravity.
How to fly a drone faster? Play with thrust.
With some experience and better flying skills, you can fly your drone a bit faster. The factor that plays the biggest role here is thrust. Once you have mastered it, you are good to go. The drones that are camera-centric and used essentially in cinematography or taking casual aerial shots are built in a very balanced style. The design language of these drones is also symmetrical and there are very few chances of enhancing the speed.
When it comes to racing drones, there is a bit of scope. All you need to do is tip the front propellers a bit down and it will be much better, in terms of aerodynamics, to fly faster. Yes, it will not be an ideal position to hover, but if you are in a race, it will give you an upper hand.
You can also increase the speed by replacing the propellers so that the motors can function more easily. You can go through the propeller guides available online to get the best efficiency.
Wrapping it up!
If you are just relying on the basics regarding the speed at which you are going to fly, it will be pretty much average and you will not find yourself giving a tough competition to your competitors. If you are buying a drone to participate in races, you should also explore your creativity.
There are multiple drones that are available on the market that you can choose from when it comes to getting the one with high speed. The racing drones that we have mentioned in this article can go quite fast and with a few tips that we have mentioned here, you will be able to compete with more high-end ones.