Drone racing

Drone racing is a competition in which pilots fly small unmanned aircraft through marked courses as quickly as possible, often using live first-person-view video.

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First-person view: A camera-based perspective that presents a live view from a device or vehicle to its operator. Pilots steer from the aircraft’s live camera feed, often through video goggles.
Quadcopter: A multirotor aircraft with four rotors, typically controlled by varying each rotor’s speed. Four independently controlled motors give racing drones their characteristic agility.
FPV drone: A remotely piloted drone equipped to transmit live camera video to its pilot. The FPV drone made onboard-view racing possible for hobbyists and organized events.
Drone cinematography: The use of cameras mounted on drones to capture moving or aerial footage. FPV racing equipment and piloting skills also produce dynamic cinematic camera movement.
Fixed-wing aircraft: An aircraft whose wings remain fixed and generate lift through forward motion. Unlike typical racing multirotors, fixed-wing aircraft need forward speed to generate lift.
FPV goggles: A wearable display that shows live video transmitted from a camera on a remote-controlled aircraft. They deliver the onboard view used to pilot around gates and obstacles.
Brushless DC electric motor: An electric motor that uses electronic commutation instead of brushes to switch current through its windings. Compact brushless motors supply the high power-to-weight ratio needed for fast flight.
FPV Freestyle: A form of FPV drone flying focused on expressive maneuvers and creative video rather than race times. Freestyle shares equipment and skills with racing but prizes expression over course speed.
Aerial photography: Photography made from an elevated position, commonly using aircraft or drones. Racing drones demonstrate how small aircraft can carry cameras through confined spaces.
Autonomous drone racing: A competition in which drones navigate race courses using onboard sensing and control without direct human piloting. It replaces human visual piloting with autonomous perception, planning, and control.