Drone Racing - probably the closest we'll get any time soon to a real world WipEout

[Lion]

Are any of you guys involved in this sport?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwL0t5kPf6E
I have been largely meh on RC drones/quadcopters/whatever up to this point, but this looks awesome and I really want to try it.

I am also curious if it's possible to make one of these things look like a WipEout ship. Once the blades are spinning they become largely invisible, so it could be a cool project (though probably not as a racer)

[blackwiggle]

I'm pretty sure you would need large vent holes top and bottom for the airflow to allow lift, which is why I guess they are racing them bare bones , without any body work.
From what I can gather these things only have enough charge to last about 5 minutes, I don't know how long a recharge would take, or if a change of battery is possible without some sort of major dismantling.

I remember these model hovercraft that were designed to look like Wipeout craft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ez8dtyw_I

I was waiting for them to appear, but apparently the person who made them only made a few, and I could never find the kits.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=911123

I suppose you could put one together if you knew what parts were needed.

There are probably plans for the craft deep in the bowels of the RC Hovercraft section of this forum, as the designer was a member from what I can gather.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/index.php

[Lion]

The only multi-rotor copter I have encountered with vehicle-like bodywork is the Parrot AR Drone, and they are more reminiscent of the Manta from UT2004.
I have some friends that do FPV flight like in the video, but for filming purposes rather than racing. Generally I think they get something closer to 20 minutes, but if racing I guess tuning for speed would come at the expense of some power efficiency/battery life

[Colonel]

That's excellent, can't believe how fast they look. I'd like to get a drone copter but they're bloody expensive, I suppose they're coming down in price all the time though. The skies will be full of them in a few years :dizzy

[Synergy2048]

Reminds me more of Fatal Inertia than WipEout.

Still awesome though. :+

[chboing]

ehe :) hello guys, looong time i've been around here.
And have come just for this topic.
this is me with one of my baby, it sure is beginning to feel like my favorite racing game ;)

8987
8988

if you ever wonder how it can feel to pilot those beast, it's amazing, and you should definitively try !

cheers

chboing

ps: btw, this one with a 3s 3300 Lipo batt is flying around 15 min... just a bit less if doing really aggressive throttle jumps ...

[carrotSnack]

They can be very agile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmbIC245Q1I

[chboing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQtE0nrz2Sk

[dmcclusky1234]

I have to say this but WOW!!! Closest thing we've seen to real world wipeout except for the flying car thing whatever :)

[marcingru]

carrot snack its Nick Maxwell , guy is top/pro in RC heli world


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNGWoW4y0bY

That Heli its near 1m long so let the small place not fool you ;)
I was flying helis around 3 years and was able to make some tricks (rolls flip,and floppy rainbows) but not even NEAR what he is doing ....
Chraging batteries is very easy and fast in this times ,usualy for small packs guys using deep cycles batteries to charge but big one like 6s-12s you need good quality charger ( Revolectrix or Icharger ) with atleast 20A output and a car;) or field generator
Having 4 packs you can fly without stop ( one in use ,2nd cooling down,3rd charging and so on)

chboing: nice little FPV :)