There’s no doubt that drones are fun.
The fact that you can control your very own flying machine is thrilling in itself.
Add a camera and things get a little more exciting.
Drones have become so popular among hobbyists and professionals that drone racing became a popular sport.
Drone racing is a fun hobby that many indulge in.
However, to complete you need the best racing drone.
Racing drones are unlike any other drone on the market because they are small, tough, agile and can reach high speeds.
They also include an FPV camera to help you maneuver technical closed tracks.
In this article, we will be taking a look at the best racing drones on the market to help you become the best drone racer out there.
Let’s jump right in!
Drone
Features
Price
- Flight range: 200 meters
- Flight time: 12 minutes
- Weight: 13.05 oz
- Flight range: 1500 meters
- Flight time: 6-9 minutes
- Weight: 15 oz
Best racing drones
- Flight range: 200 meters
- Flight time: 12 minutes
- Weight: 13.05 oz
The Walkera F210 drone is a ready-to-fly (RTF) drone known as one of the best racing drones on the market.
This particular model contains a normal and night vision camera so that you can race day or night.
It also features a pretty sturdy build with a modern industrial carbon fiber frame that is quite durable.
This makes the unit virtually crash-resistant but the unit can still break if you crash at high speeds.
However, the manufacturers have done as much as they can to protect the core components of the drone and the other parts are easy to replace.
The Walkera F210 is lightweight, fast, agile and can be easily maneuvered in tight corners of highly technical racing courses.
It can also come to a quick stop whenever you want.
This eliminates drift due to inertia, lowering collision risk.
Last but not least, the best feature of this specific drone is that you can tweak the flight characteristics directly.
This is something that drone racing enthusiasts get excited about and look for since they can adjust the flight controller to meet their specifications.
- 【Powerful Motor Design】: With brushless motor plus guard landing cushion frame design, the F210...
- 【Night vision HD Camera】: The camera has one million pixels, high-definition night vision lens...
- 【SP Racing F3 Flight Controller】: F210 is safe and anti-crash, easy to install and disassemble....
- 【Futaba Receiver Supported】: The stand-alone package comes with Futaba receiver which support...
- 【FPV Goggle Support】: Ultra-long transmission range, real-time obtain the flight status and...
- Flight range: 1500 meters
- Flight time: 6-9 minutes
- Weight: 15 oz
Don’t be fooled by the simple look of the Arris X-Speed 250B V3 as sometimes less is more.
This drone may feature a simplistic design but it is packed full of advanced electronics which appeal to the newbie drone pilots.
Other than having to charge the batteries and plugging it in, you can fly this unit straight out of the box.
The Arris X-Speed also comes with some assistive flight modes which are especially helpful to new drone pilots
Its 4mm thick arms, super strong and durable construction makes it able to withstand a few crashes.
The camera on this model was upgraded to the ARRISHOBBY Cat FPV camera which can be adjusted from 0 to 45 degrees.
Meanwhile, the flight controller is fully configurable as well as the 9 channel transmitter that boasts a range of 1500 meters in the air.
- Simple structure frame installed with tower structure ESC/PDB, easy to assemble and easy to repair....
- The tower comes with integrated OSD, no need to install it separately. The angle of the FPV camera...
- Newly released high efficiency S2205 2300KV motor provides you better performance and longer working...
- Flight range: 50 meters
- Flight time: 10 minutes
- Weight: 24 oz
The Remoking RC drone is an affordable racing drone that comes with a few impressive features.
This includes a 6-axis gyro stabilizer system which offers in-flight stability and ease of use for drone pilots.
It also includes a 720P FPV HD Camera camera, Wi-Fi connectivity and access through a mobile app which is all incredible considering the unit’s low price.
The Remoking RC drone has multiple flight modes which make it easier to pilot the drone whether you’re a beginner or professional.
Some of these include headless mode, one key take-off and landing.
This RC racing drone can even make performing tricks flips and more a whole lot easier.
It features an innovative design that consists of a lightweight yet durable body to withstand any minor mishaps.
All in all, the Remocking RC drone offeres powerful propulsion, stable flight condition and a decent flight time.
The only downside is that it only offers a control range up to 50 meters but for the price you really can’t complain.
- 720P FPV Wi-Fi HD Camera: 90° Adjustable angle, captures high-quality video and aerial photos. You...
- Innovative design：Lightweight body，Powerful motivation，Stable flight condition，longer flight...
- 6-axis gyro quad-rotorcraft flight:Strong stability,can easily implement various flight movements,...
- One button to take off/land: Press one of the buttons on the remote to achieve automatic take-off...
- Can be presented as a holiday gift to children or friends：Comes with a detailed manual that...
- Flight range: 100 meters
- Flight time: 6 minutes
- Weight: 20 oz
The H112D X4 Storm comes to you from the well-known drone manufacturer Hubsan.
Hubsan has made quite a stir in the drone world and has a wide variety of drone products on the market.
The Hubsan H122D X4 Is suitable for beginners due to the fact that it comes with a range of in-flight options that make it easy to fly.
Another reason why it’s good for beginners is that the drone uses a 3K carbon fiber base which means that it is robust enough to withstand crashes.
To further prevent damages during crashes, there is a Motor Stall Protection feature.
This feature automatically stops the motor if the drone crashes or if the propellers stop for any reason.
The unit comes with a 720P HD camera so that you can experience better live video.
While these are all factors to get the Hubsan H122D X4, the fact that it uses brushed motors instead of brushless may play a part in determining whether to get it or not.
- Flight range: 1000 meters
- Flight time: 16 minutes
- Weight: 4.09 oz
The iFlight Titan XL5 HD 6S drone is one of the most expensive on our list but is worth it if you know what you’re about.
This racing drone kit is more suited to experienced drone pilots who are skilled in putting together their own drone since it is not a Ready-to-Fly unit but a Bind-N-Fly unit.
Once set up and configured, it is chock full of rugged flight features which are bound to impress.
You will have hours of endless fun with this unit since it is protected enough to withstand a few crashes with minimal damages.
It is not exactly a lightweight unit but the weight is distributed easily and nicely balanced to avoid any major problems in flight.
The X- geometry design is spot on and allows the drone to perform better while the twin bug-like antenna gives it a unique look.
Other features include a DJI first-person view system which offers a great live feed so you can see where you’re going.
For more drones, read this best drones post.
Factors to consider when looking for the best racer drone
When looking to purchase the best racer drone there are numerous components that you need to pay special attention to.
These components contribute to the overall performance, durability and price of the drone that you will be purchasing.
To make things a bit easier for you here are some key aspects to consider when buying a drone for racing.
Brushless versus brushed motors
When purchasing a racer drone it is recommended to choose one with brushless motors.
Brushless motors are the best choice because they experience less wear and last longer.
They also require less maintenance thus making them more reliable and efficient than brushless motors.
Remote controller and flight controller
When it comes to selecting the remote controller/ transmitter there are a wide range of options available to choose from
Aside from compatibility issues, you have to ensure that the combination of the antenna, control receiver, flight controller are carefully chosen.
This is because they all play an important role which helps to achieve maximum performance.
Drone pilots now have a broader range of memory selections, On-Screen Display and software updates which help in making their decision.
Other factors that also play a part are comfort, ease of use, adaptability and range.
Motor power
Motors can be either brushed or brushless and as we discussed earlier brushless motors are the best for racing.
To tell the power of the motor, look for its power rating which is generally listed by a number followed by the letters Kv.
In this instance, Kv means the constant velocity of the motor and measured in thousands of RPMs per volt.
Oftentimes you will find that the size and weight of the drone will determine the amount of power required for peak performance.
For example, 1000 to 2300 Kv is ample enough for a 250mm diagonal size racing drone.
Type
Drones can come in many forms and packages including:
- RTF which means Ready to Fly includes all the necessary components in the package to get you up and flying in mere seconds.
- BNF stands for Bind-N-Fly and comes with everything but the transmitter.
- Plug-N-Fly or Plug-N-Play does not include the transmitter, receiver, battery or charger
The one you choose will depend on your preference since most professional racing pilots usually custom-built their racing drones.
This allows them to piece together the best components possible to create a drone that performs well.
You will find that many of the components of other racing drones can be modified physically or electronically.
However to make these types of changes you will need to have some skills and knowledge with building your own drone.
That is why if you are a beginner it is best to start with an RTF drone since they minimize the risk of something going wrong in your first big race.
If you want to try your hand at building a drone, read this build your own drone guide.
Other factors to consider
Speed and power
You can find some of the best racing drones that may reach speeds over 100 mph.
However, most will fly at speeds around 75 mph.
Frame material
You want to go for a drone that has a frame that is lightweight yet durable.
Most racing drones are built from carbon fiber or a composite that is both lightweight and durable.
This way your drone may not experience any damages in the event of a crash
Camera quality
If you are looking for the best FPV racing drone then you need to make sure that the camera quality is high.
It should be high because you need to see to stream video clearly on the screen or via the FPV goggles.
The better the quality, the better you see where you are going which helps you to better maneuver close tracks.
Flight time
FPV racing drones have a limited flight time of probably around 5 to 6 minutes.
However, there are a few exceptions for this and you may find some offering longer flight times.
Just keep in mind that a lot of elements need to be considered that can affect flight time.
These include the battery, the motors, the weather, and a bunch of others.
Benefits of FPV racing drones
Affordability
Drone racing and the number of recreational/ hobby/professional drone users are increasing every day.
One of the major reasons is that the price range allows even the beginner drone pilot to easily acquire their first drone at an affordable cost.
That being said over time a drone racer can become hooked on the sport and will therefore purchase several drones, upgrades, and accessories.
This means that they will be spending more money to compete.
Maneuverability and agility
Maneuverability and agility are key when it comes to the performance of a racing drone and this is what makes racing fun.
Racing drones are highly reactive and maneuverable even at high speeds.
However, multiple characteristics may impact the maneuverability of the drone including the RC controller response time, weather conditions, lift power, the balance of the drone, etc.
Durability
You will find that the smaller and more compact racing drones are more durable than their larger and heavier counterparts.
The build of the racing drone, the materials used in its construction, the speed of crashes, blade protectors, skills of the pilot, etc will have an impact on the drone’s durability.
The mainframe of the drone is usually the strongest part while other parts such as the camera or propellers may experience more damage during high-speed crashes.
Limitations: FPV racing drones
Racing drones may not perform well in poor weather conditions including high winds or rain.
In this instance, indoor racing is often the go-to.
Other limitations include struggling when flying over bodies of water.
This is because unlike photography drones racing drones may not have certain features like GPS return to home or obstacle avoidance which makes it quite easy to lose your drone
Flying time
in some instances but you may get a flying time of probably 4 to 8 minutes which is relatively short.
However, racing drones are incredibly fun and it seems that the short flight time has not deterred hobbyists and professionals as the drone racing community continues to grow.
FAQs: Top race drones
How do I get started in drone racing?
Drone racing is still relatively new so now is the perfect time to get into this exciting sport.
However, racing drones requires patience And lots of practice.
the start the drone racing journey you can invest in racing toy drones that are not too expensive
This way you can familiarize yourself with the basics and not worry when the drone crashes.
As a beginner, the drone will crash a few times before you finally can maneuver the drone properly.
That is why practice is of utmost importance.
You should also pick up some extra propellers in case of damage during crashes and extra batteries to extend the unit’s limited flight time.
How much can it cost to get into drone racing?
When it comes to the cost of getting into drone racing, there isn’t exactly a specific figure or range.
This is because there is no end to the gear you can buy when racing drones.
There is a magnitude of accessories that you can add to improve the performance of your racing drone.
Additional costs can arise in the event you crash and certain components of the drone get damaged.
With that in mind, if you are going to get into drone racing, you will need a pretty sizable budget that can cover the drone itself, accessories and any repairs the drone will need.
How fast can racing drones go?
Some of the top race drones can exceed speeds of 75mph.
While speed is important, it is more about your ability to maneuver the drone properly during flight.
This is a sport where your piloting skills are in the spotlight.
Drone
Features
Price
- Flight range: 200 meters
- Flight time: 12 minutes
- Weight: 13.05 oz
- Flight range: 1500 meters
- Flight time: 6-9 minutes
- Weight: 15 oz