Brisbane pilot wins drone contest
20 July 2015 by News Desk
A flight enthusiast from Brisbane has won the first drone-racing championship held in California, USA.
Australian Chad Nowak beat a field of more than 100 competitors to win all three events at the competition including the individual time trial and freestyle. A total of $25,000 in prize money was at stake during the contest.
Drone-racing competitors fly custom-built machines via remote control, relying on a series of mounted cameras that relay video to specially designed goggles worn by the pilot. The drones can reach speeds of more than 100km/h.
The sport is gaining in popularity in Australia with races taking place in many capital cities. Nowak has campaigned for drone-racing to be recognised as a fully-fledged sport. Nowak’s YouTube channel has attracted more than 700,000 views.
