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Oh, oh, catch that buzz, drones are the drug they're thinking of

Carolyn Webb

If drone racing were a drug, Jamie Frederick would be in need of rehab. He's been 'on it' for less than a year, but he's well and truly addicted.

The 35-year-old electrician, from Cranbourne, had no hobbies until he saw a TV news report on drone racing in October 2015. "It was mind blowing," he said, "I couldn't believe how fast they move and that you feel like you're on board, like you're actually piloting the craft." 

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'Drones-eye-view' racing

Hitting speeds of up to 160km per hour, competitors fly their drones at DroneX, in one of the largest drone-racing competitions in Australia.

He used to "go out and party" in his spare time. Now he practises or races his "quad" (drone) all weekend, every weekend, and on weeknights does repairs and more practice. 

"It's addictive, very addictive," he says, speaking of "the speed, the rush, the adrenalin, the excitement, the escapism". 

"You get a meditation-type Zen, you can forget about the rest of your day, the world, and you are flying through the air."

For the first time on the weekend, a national drone-racing competition, the DroneX indoor challenge, was part of Sexpo at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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They may seem strange bedfellows, but Sexpo manager Bentleigh Gibson said: "Sexpo has evolved into a broad adult lifestyle experience, so it makes perfect sense to add the excitement and buzz of this popular new sport and pastime."

DroneX race director Dave Purebred quipped that competitors were "all consenting adults flying around expensive toys" and the sport had had more exposure at Sexpo than at any previous event, with a free try-out session for the public a big hit.

Mr Purebred said organised drone racing, or First Person View (FPV) racing has been going in Victoria for just a year, but there are now fortnightly competitions, and clubs with (mostly male) members ranging from kids to the elderly who help each other build, repair and operate drones.

The quad copter (four motor) drones, about 20cm in diameter ("the size of the dinner plate") can race at up to 168 km/h. 

In each heat, four pilots, wearing goggles connected wirelessly to cameras on the drones, steered their crafts around a circuit four times, a total 1km, with the fastest craft winning. Each lap takes about 11 seconds.

Mr Frederick says drone racing is much cheaper than, say, car racing; you can build a drone for under $4000 and get back just as many thrills - plus your craft does the racing for you. "Compared with other motor sport hobbies where there's speed involved, it's fairly cheap and very safe."

He said Sexpo was a good way to show another use for drones than photography or warfare. "To get more eyes seeing what we do is great. It doesn't matter which demographic they come from, doesn't matter if it's at a librarian exhibition or Sexpo."

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