The Drone Racing League is set to return for its third season this fall. After extending its partnership with one of the world’s leading insurers, Allianz, this past week, DRL unveiled plans for this year’s championship.
The DRL Allianz World Championship will premier on ESPN in the U.S. on Sep. 6, and action will be available in more than 75 countries around the world via outlets such as Sky Sports, ProSiebenSat.1, and Groupe AB. Eighteen pilots will race DRL designed drones around 3D race tracks in locations like the Adventuredome at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2, and the Allianz Riviera football stadium in Nice, France.
“With more partners, more races and more pilots, we’re incredibly excited to unveil our most thrilling series yet,” said DRL CEO and founder, Nicholas Horbaczewski, in a statement. “Following a historic 2017 season that was watched by tens of millions of fans across the globe, our 2018 DRL Allianz World Championship Season will pit the best FPV pilots against each other through fiercely competitive drone races in new spectacular locations.”
Here’s what else you need to know:
– With varying media partnerships, the DRL expects to be broadcast in 75+ countries during its third season. The sports, tech, and media company that runs the racing is also expanding its borders beyond the U.S. with races in Germany, Saudi Arabia and France.
– Global partners announced by the brand include Swatch, the U.S. Air Force, Toy State, Fatshark, and many more.
SportTechie Takeaway
DRL branching out to different partners and worldwide locations is part of Horbaczewski’s vision that drone racing can become a global sport. One of the league’s most important partnerships, announced two months back, is with BMW.
That partnership will bring DRL to Munich, BMW’s hometown. Having set the record for world’s fastest drone last year, DRL will now work with the automaker to build a drone that goes even faster.