Best racing drone 2023: Beginner, intermediate, professional
Looking to compete? Here are the best racing drones in 2024
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So, you’re looking for the best racing drone? Well, it’s not as simple as finding the best GPU or CPU. There are a lot more aspects to consider as this is a product area wherein specs aren’t the be-all and end-all.
So, we’ll go over our picks for the best racing drones, and we’ll keep the experience and budgetary limits in mind, additionally, we’re going to cover all the things you should be keeping in mind.
This all comes with the unavoidable caveat that professional drone racers don’t simply order a drone, unpack it, and fly to victory.
Instead, they typically build one from scratch, or at the very least assemble one from individually purchased parts.
So, we won’t be including these sorts of parts as there are so many different combinations and configurations that writing a traditional best-off list becomes impossible. Right, now that the disclaimers are disclaimed, let’s take a look at the best racing drones for all skill levels.
Best racing drone 2023: reviews
Ok ok, enough rambling about important things to keep in mind, you’re a discerning buyer who already knows what they’re looking for right? Ok, here is our pick for the best racing drone in 2022, and of course, the runners-up too.
Walkera Classical F210 racing quadcopter
First up, we have the Walkera Classical F210. This is a great drone that allows you to experience near-professional performance without having to build a drone from scratch.
It’s equipped with 5.8GHz video transmission, allowing you near instantaneous video feedback. Pair this with a solid set of goggles and you’ve got a high-performance aircraft ready to go.
Walkera has also included a cowling for the camera and color-matched it with the props, which is uncharacteristically conscientious for a racing drone company.
Essentially, what we have here, is a super-capable drone with all the creature comforts you’d need. However, it’s also a few hundred dollars. What if you need something easier to afford? Let’s have a word with our old friend, EMAX Tinyhawk 2.
EMAX Tinyhawk 2
Weight
49g/1.7oz
Flight time
4-6 mins
Top speed
56 kph/34.8 mph
Range
200ft/61m
Camera
600TVL CMOS
We covered the EMAX Tinyhawk 2 before when we wrote about the best FPV drones, and the industrious little quadcopter is pulling double duty here too.
It’s way more budget-friendly, not only due to the low price but also due to the fact that it actually comes with everything you need, which, as we’ve covered, is rare for racing drones.
Other than the comprehensive nature, we have nothing else to say about the Tinyhawk 2. It’s fast, easy to fly (mostly), and robust enough to withstand more than its fair share of high-speed collisions. EMAX is fast becoming a favorite of ours, but what if you fancy recording some better footage while you fly? Our next contender is ready to accept any camera with one of those standard GoPro mounts.
GEPRC CineLog30
We mentioned the Tinyhawk pulling double duty as it found its way onto two of our lists, but the GEPRC CineLog30 can be easily configured to be both an FPV racing drone, and actually record good footage.
Remember that the video transmission to the FPV goggles is only for control purposes. It can be recorded, but the footage won’t look all that good, and recording it can sometimes introduce some latency, making the drone very tricky to control.
With the GEPRC CineLog30, you can attach any GoPro camera to the mount located just behind the FPV camera. This is particularly good as the video quality coming from GoPro cameras these days is actually astounding.
So, if you’re interested in recording racing drone footage with superior quality than the FPV video, this is a great option. It is worth noting, however, that attaching an additional camera to a drone will impact its performance slightly.
Things to consider when shopping for the best racing drone
Luckily, racing drones can be relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to more general-purpose FPV drones, and especially against drones for photography.
This means that you can try out this exciting hobby without a huge initial investment, additionally, the best racing drones tend to be pretty robust, due to the speed at which these things crash into trees.
Price
We’re going to include racing drones that cover the entire pricing spectrum, so don’t worry, as you can give drone racing a go with our cheaper selection, then come back if you really get into the hobby down the line.
As with hobbies like airsoft, painting, or drumming, there isn’t really an upper limit to what you can spend, as there are always replacements to buy, upgrade to make, and equipment to repair.
FPV goggles
To make sure you’ve got the best chance of successfully piloting the bloody thing, you’ll need a set of FPV goggles too. Much like batteries, goggles aren’t included with most of these drones, which means that you’re free to pick whatever goggles you want, so long as they are compatible with the aircraft itself.
Controller
Oh, look, another crucial aspect of the experience that sometimes isn’t included. This also makes sense when you think about it, as the sport of drone racing is so performance-based that
Flight time
Unlike other types of drones, maximizing flight time isn’t the main concern. You need not worry about hovering around getting the perfect shot or lasting long enough to find a stranded rambler in the Hebrides.
Surprising absolutely no one, the best racing drone must be first and foremost, fast, and honestly, not for all that long. In short flight time is not a concern, but flight frequency is. So many small batteries are more beneficial than one with stonks of capacity.
It’s worth mentioning here that racing drones are often sold without batteries, so remember to pick a few compatible ones up. Amazon is quite good at automatically recommending compatible batteries.
Agility
The best racing drones need agility almost as much as they need speed. Just like most races, being able to take corners quickly. A large part of how racing drones achieve this is their diminutive size as compared to other types of drones.
Additionally the propellers are shorter and lighter than usual too, meaning that they have less momentum. This allows them to stop, start, and change direction very, very quickly, again increasing agility.
Best racing drone FAQs
The hobby of drone racing is a little hard to decipher sometimes, so here are some handy FAQs to make it less daunting.
How fast can racing drones go?
The legal limit (for the USA) is 100MPH. However, some drones have been clocked going almost twice that.
How do I get into drone racing?
Getting a cheap drone and putting in hours of practice is the best way. As your skills develop you can invest in faster drones, then try out at some smaller regional events.
