Drone racing set to become official British Army sport for first time

Drone racing is to be considered an official sport by the British Army for the first time, Report informs via The Telegraph.

While the activity, which involves flying drones to specified distances at speed, is recognised as a sport by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), the Army had yet to do so.

But as of this month, the Armed Forces Sports Board will formally recognise the British Army Drone Association, which will race First Person View (FPV) drones as a sport because of its growing popularity in both sports and the battlefield.

FPV racing is where drones are flown around a track using a virtual reality headset without the GPS or stabilisation software fitted to conventional drones.

Eight racers compete at one time and have to complete a certain amount of laps within a designated time. This makes the drones, which can fly over 100 mph, more challenging to operate but less vulnerable to jamming by adversaries as it relies on human skill.

The growing popularity of the drone racing movement in the British military is partly thanks to Lt Col Karl Eze of the Army Reserve and the founder of Point Zenith, a drone technology company.

A senior British Army source told the Telegraph: “We encourage a number of different sporting outlets, it doesn’t have to be football, rugby or cricket, the more varied the better. Particularly, if they’ll get something out of it that gives them transferable skills that can then be put back into the Army.”