Best Drones for Racing
Best Drones for Racing
Drones can do many things. They can be used for surveying, photography, to help a trainer keep a closer look at the athlete and analyze their technique, and they can be used in high-speed races too. Yes, among regular drones and high-class photography drones there are racing drones. These little things are as fast as lightning and very maneuverable. They favor lightweight design and powerful brushless motors over a splendid quality camera and often come with their own FPV sets.
So, if you’re interested in acquiring one of these, here is a list of the best drones for racing currently available on the market today.
List of the Best Drones for Racing
LHI 250 mm Quadcopter Drone
It has to be noted, however, that the best racing drones are DIY, or at least, heavily modified. However, there are premade drones, or almost assembled drones that for which you have to provide parts to finish them. One such premade drone is our first entry, the LHI 250 mm quadcopter drone.
The LHI comes fully assembled and ready to fly. However, you might consider buying your own controller, as the product comes with a basic one. It also lacks a battery, so you’ll have to buy that one as well and the charger too. The LHI uses a powerful 1500 mAh rechargeable battery.
The drone has a very light but very strong carbon fiber frame. It also has an HD mini camera on board, and you can also link it up with the VR headset to get FPV flying experience. The drone features powerful brushless MT2204 2300 KV motors that propel the craft at great speeds. However, the drone doesn’t have the 6-gyro stabilizer, and actual flying requires some skill.
Pros:
- Powerful 2300 KV motors.
- Powerful 1500 mAh battery.
- HD mini camera that can be linked to the VR set.
- Sturdy but light carbon fiber design.
Cons:
- A battery is not included in the package.
- You get a basic controller.
Eachine Racer 250 FPV Quadcopter Drone
Coming up next is the Eachine Racer 250 quadcopter drone. This copter is a great machine with splendid capabilities. It is fast, light and incredibly sturdy. It is one of the best racing drones on the market and for good reason.
The drone comes fully assembled, except the battery. It comes with an excellent Eachine I6 controller that allows you to fly farther out and provides a strong connection that is not easily interfered with. The controller also sports a monitor that is linked up with the adjustable camera and provides a live feed for better maneuvering. The camera can also be connected to the VR headset for FPV flying. The camera also allows for HD night flying. The range of the controller is one mile.
Just like the previous model on this list, the drone sports powerful 2300 KV motors that enable it to fly competitively fast. Again, the drone doesn’t come with a stabilizer, so this drone is not for absolute beginners, but more experienced fliers.
Pros:
- Powerful motors.
- Excellent controller.
- Long flight range, one mile.
- The controller features a monitor.
- The camera can be linked to a VR headset.
- The camera allows of HD nighttime flying.
- 2300 KV motors.
- Bright LED lights.
Cons:
- The product does not come with a battery.
ARRIS X-Speed 280 FPV Racing Drone
At spot number three we have a very stylish little craft, the Arris X-speed 280 racing drone. Arris is very well known for producing high quality and very fast and elegant racing drone. The X-speed carries all the best traits of Arris drones.
The drone comes almost fully assembled. It comes with a very fine CC3D controller that enables you to do very advanced maneuvers, as it makes the done stable and responsive at all times. The controls are very balanced and smooth, which enables pinpoint accuracy when flying the drone. Coupled with the AT9 transmitter, the connection is almost impossible to lose.
The drone features a very fine HD camera that enables FPV flying experience. However the VR set you’ll have to provide yourself, and those don’t come cheap. It also has very good and very bright LED lights that enable you to read the positioning of the craft better and allow you to fly during the night. The drone sports powerful Arris 2204, making it very competitive.
Unfortunately, it does not come with a battery.
Pros:
- Powerful Arris 2204 motors that allow for competitive flying.
- The drone has an excellent At9 transmitter.
- Very food CC3D flight controller.
- The drone is very maneuverable and fast, but requires skill to be flown effectively.
- The drone features very bright LED lights.
Cons:
- The craft does not come with a battery.
Eachine Falcon 250 FPV Quadcopter
Coming up next is another Eachine drone. Eachine drones are ones of the fastest drones currently available, and are certain to be liable for high-speed races and competitions. This all holds true for Falcon 250 quadcopter, which stands as a healthy alternative for the racer, matching it in every aspect.
The craft sports very powerful 2204 motor that propels it at very high speeds, making the Falcon a very tough to compete against. The drone comes with the excellent CC3D flight controller that makes high-speed maneuvers a breeze. Of course, this is a drone for experienced and expert fliers, and is not suitable for novices, as it doesn’t have any stabilizers.
The drone also sports an adjustable mini camera that allows for HD streams. It is also able to connect up to the VR headset, so you can experience what flying feels like first hand. Naturally, this is not a feature added for experienced users, but for the sake of convenience when racing. Basically, it allows you to execute high-level maneuvers with pinpoint accuracy. The craft also has a very solid inclined motor base that soaks up the vibrations from the propellers, allowing for a more stability when the sticks are at the center position.
Pros:
- High-speed craft with powerful motors.
- Good maneuverability.
- Very good cc3d standard flight controller.
- An adjustable camera that can connect to a VR headset.
- Motor base soaks up vibrations when sticks are held at the center position.
- Carbon fiber frame.
Cons:
- None.
ARRIS X-Speed 250B 250mm Quadcopter Racer
Coming from Arris again is the X-speed 250B 250 mm quadcopter. This craft is virtually the little brother of the X-speed 280, but it is no less powerful or of lower quality.
The drone uses high powered 2205 motors, rated at 2300 KV. This makes the drone lighting fast and able to compete with the best and the fastest drones on the market. The drone sports a very light carbon fiber frame that is also very strong and resistant to damage, which is a necessity, as a high-speed crash can ruin a racer craft. It also sports excellent vibration dampening plates. These plates make the drone more stable in the air when you let go of the throttle, so the high speed of the propellers is more manageable. This also improves the overall quality of the video feed, as vibrations may distort the image, or even disrupt the camera entirely.
Speaking of the camera, this craft features a great FPV camera (means you’ll have to use a VR headset) that is also adjustable from 0 to 30 degrees, giving you a better vision and a greater angle of vision. The drone comes fully assembled with an AT9 transmitter and an RD9 receiver, allowing for a strong link between the craft and the controller. The aircraft uses a standard F3 flight controller, which the pilots can adjust according to their own preference.
Pros:
- Very fast drone, thanks to its 2300 KV motors.
- AT9 transmitter and an RD9 receiver, fully calibrated.
- F3 flight controller.
- Adjustable FPV camera.
- Superb vibration dampening plate.
- Excellent carbon fiber frame.
Cons:
- Does not come with a battery.
- Must be registered with the FAA before flying.
Walkera F210 Professional Racer Quadcopter Drone
At spot No. 6 sits the Walkera F210 Professional racer quadcopter drone. Walkera is one of the best-known companies that produces master crafted, high-powered, extremely fast drones.
The F210 is one of the fastest drones on the market thanks to its powerful motors. The craft sports even more powerful, 2500 KV motors than the other drones’ 2300 KV motors. This makes Walkera a very fast and a very tough opponent. The drone has a great carbon fiber frame that is both light and durable, further increasing the craft’s speed by lowering its overall weight. F210 also boast a superb 700 TVL camera that allows for nighttime flying as it has night vision. The camera is also adjustable, giving you a 120-degree viewing range.
The craft is controlled by a very fine Devo 7 transmitter. The transmitter relates to the drone very well and gives you a great feel of the craft while flying, allowing you to really nail tight turns and high-level maneuvers. The drone has a superb receiver too, and the possibility of the connection snapping is almost minimal.
The quadcopter also features the excellent F3 flight system. This system does an awesome job bringing the copter’s speed and power under control, bringing out the best in it.
All in all, this is a great drone for someone looking to compete on a professional level.
Pros:
- Very high terminal speed thanks to the brushless 2500 KV motors.
- Excellent carbon fiber frame.
- Superb camera with night vision for flying in low light conditions.
- F3 flight controller.
- Devo 7 transmitter is very reliable and easy to use.
- Excellent receiver.
- 120-degree viewing angle.
- Comes complete with a battery.
Cons:
- None.
Team BlackSheep Vendetta RTF Drone
Coming in at number seven is the Hubsan X4 quadcopter drone. This little buzzard is actually an entry level racing drone. We liked this one exactly because of that, as it gives the novices an alternative and a starting point in the drone racing world. In any case, Hubsan is very well known for creating amazing entry level machines and X4 is one of them.
As an entry level machine, the Hubsan X4 sports the lifesaving feature for novice pilots – the 6 gyro stabilizer system. This is even more relevant for the X4, as the speed of the drone would make it hard for a beginner to control and fly properly. The drone is very steady and stable, as well as very responsive, and gives an excellent learning curve overall. The drone is very lightweight due to its relatively small size and because it has a carbon fiber frame. This also makes the drone very durable and resistant to damage, which provides novices with a peace of mind in case they crash it.
The craft has a good FPV camera. However, as this is an entry level drone, its flight range is severely limited. The drone can only fly 100 meters from the transmitter before losing contact with it. The craft is powered by a 3.7 V, 380 mAh battery which has a failsafe cut off in case it shorts out of becomes damaged.
All in all, this is a great drone for beginner pilots, as it provides great flying experience and a great flying curve.
Pros:
- Entry level drone.
- 6 gyro stabilization system.
- Good FPV camera.
- Stable and responsive, provides great learning curve.
- The battery has a failsafe automatic cut off.
Cons:
- Limited range, only 100 meters.
- Cannot compete with professional drones.
Team BlackSheep Vendetta RTF Drone
At spot number seven is the Team BlackSheep Vendetta RTF drone. This drone is small, but incredibly powerful and unbelievably fast. Its tubular design is reminiscent if the Eachine drones, and the many holes on the body effectively reduce the gizmo’s weight, making it (w)hole lot faster. Without the battery and the camera, this drone weighs just 410 grams.
The body of this drone is a solid carbon fiber construction. This keeps the drone lightweight as well as strong and durable. But the real reason behind the drone’s speed is the Cobra CM2204/2300 KV motors it uses. Coupled with the F3 flight control system, this craft is not only fast but very manageable and controllable. The flight controls system allows you to really get a grip on the drone and puts its incredible power under your control, greatly improving responsiveness.
Naturally, for a better flying experience, the craft features a camera mount. But what makes this drone special is that you can mount some pretty good cams on it, like the GoPro or Mobius. The mount can appear in the 10 or 30-degree angle adjustment variation. All in all, this is a powerful drone that will certainly give your opponents a run for their money.
Pros:
- Powerful 2300 KV motors.
- The latest F3 flight control system reigns in all the drone’s power and makes it very manageable.
- Has a GoPro/Mobius camera mount with a 10 or 30-degree angle adjustment variation.
- Very sturdy and lightweight design.
Cons:
- Does not come with a transmitter.
- Does not come with a battery.
Blade Mach 25 FPV Racer
Our penultimate product is the Blade Mach 25 FPV Racer drone. With its sleek design and powerful motors, the Mach 25 is one of the best, fastest and the most frequently-purchased drone. Even better, the drone is rather affordable for its benchmark performance.
The drone is propelled by excellent 2300 KV motors. But the true winners are the propellers, as they are very easy to install due to their self-tightening design. This makes them very easy to replace if broken. The drone features the A3174 flight control system that enables the drone to go fast but still retain good handling capabilities and relate to its pilot. Thanks to this controller system you can really feel how the drone moves and turns, and it responds well to your commands.
As with all models on this list, the drone boasts a carbon fiber construction with aluminum supports. This makes the craft lightweight so it can develop greater speeds, but durable enough to survive in the event of a crash.
The drone is powered by a 1350 mAh battery. It comes with an HD camera, but the set does not include the battery nor the Fat Shark headset required for the drone, so you’ll have to provide those from elsewhere. It also sports bright LED lights that will help you orientate and light the way for night flying.
Pros:
- Durable but lightweight carbon fiber frame and aluminum supports.
- Powerful 2300 KV brushless motors.
- A3174 flight control system.
- Self-tightening propeller design.
- Uses the Fat Shark VR headset.
- Fast, responsive and maneuverable.
- Sleek, cool looking design.
Cons:
- Does not come with a battery.
- You’ll have to provide the VR system from somewhere else.
Final Thoughts about the Best Drones for Racing
Well, there you have it folks, nine of the best drones for racing. We made sure to include some of the most trusted brands to allow for easier decision making on your part. All of these machines are really high powered and are extremely competitive. Each and every drone we presented feature the powerful 2300 KV motors, save for two. These are the Walkera F210 and the Hubsan X4.
The F210 boasts an even more powerful 2500 KV motor, making it the fastest ship in our fleet. On the other hand, the Hubsan X4 is an entry level drone, and cannot compete with the more powerful devices. However, we decided to include it anyway so as to provide you with an alternative if you’re just starting out. It will give you an opportunity to learn the ropes and get used to flying fast machines, so you can comfortably move onto a better drone.
Finally, we’re going to unveil our top pick. We highly recommend the Walkera F210. If you are looking for a high-powered machine that will take you to new heights this is the best possible craft. It boasts monstrous 2500 KV motors. It also has a great camera and an overall good looking design.
Well, that’s all we have to say about this topic. The only thing you need now is to pick your drone and blow away the competition.