You may have heard people somewhere talking about drone racing and you may be planning to take out your own Mavic Air or Spark to have some fun with your friends, but it’s not what they are made for. Drones made specifically for racing are tough, small, and agile, and they come with FPV cameras and goggles.
In this list, we have included some of the best racing drones that are available at reasonable prices and make it easy to get started in the racing scene.
But before we start to review these exciting flying machines, you need to understand that these are very high-speed drones and can be very hard to control for first-timers. They also come with little to no flight assistance. So, before you jump into drone racing, it is recommended to learn some basics about these drones from a trainer.
1. Walkera F210 3D
The F210 3D is one of the best drones from Walkera and an out-of-the-box solution for drone racing enthusiasts. Equipped with some serious hardware on its thick carbon fiber frame and an interesting design, the F210 is quite worthy of being placed on top of the list.
This drone comes with a popular Devo 7 controller that has lag-free controls and a small LCD display. Cool things is, you can adjust the flight controller to your desired specs and alter the flight characteristics as well.
Moving to the drone’s design, the F210 employs a modular design that can be easily maintained and assembled if things go wrong. Due to its well-built frame and other body parts, this drone can survive some serious crashes. Not that it’s impossible to break or damage, but Walkera has done all it could to protect key components while the rest are easily replaceable.
The drone is lightweight, super-fast, and agile. It offers a flight time of around nine minutes in 2D flight mode (about five minutes in 3D) and has the ability to operate with both normal and night vision cameras. Certainly, the Walkera F210 3D is the best deal for people who are seriously considering getting into drone racing.
2. Bolt FPV Racing Drone
Built with carbon fiber, the Bolt racing drone is strong and lightweight. It comes with a detachable LCD screen that can either be used with the flight controller or with the goggles for FPV flying. You get all these in a single package.
Featuring a wide-angle lens, the camera captures stunning views during flight. With a strong 5.8 GHz signal, there is a very little chance of latency, meaning the drone can transmit real-time video and responds incredibly fast to the controls. Also, the altitude stabilization ensures you fly it smooth and easy.
With a fully charged battery, the Bolt drone can stay in the air for up to 15 minutes. It can reach a speed of 30mph and survive severe crashes. It’s ready to fly out of the box and doesn’t need any assembly or calibration before you start the fun.
3. Hubsan H122D X4 Storm
The best part about the X4 Storm is that it comes with an LCD monitor and FPV goggles. Thanks to its compact size, it allows you to beautifully maneuver both indoors and out. Besides, its 720p camera offers incredible bang for the buck.
For extra durability and protection against serious crashes, the drone is built with carbon fiber. You can enjoy flying it for up to eight minutes. To extend your flying sessions, the package also includes two batteries. A ‘low-battery protection’ feature ensures your drone automatically comes back and land on its starting point when it’s running out of power.
While specifically made for drone racing, the X4 Storm can also demonstrate some acrobatic skills like 360-degree flips and rolls. It can be an ideal choice for beginner pilots who want to step into the world of drone racing.
4. Walkera Rodeo 110
Walkera has been able to deliver some great racing drones, making it one of the most popular brands on the market. Its Rodeo 110 offers some amazing features and has got the attention of many drone pilots.
Walkera has installed a 600TVL wide-angle camera on such a small drone, which gives it an advantage against competitors. The drone’s 200MW/600MW transmission ensures the user doesn’t observe any latency issues. A small 850mAh LiPo battery may not give you the expected power capacity but it does quite well and can keep the drone flying for up to six minutes.
The Rodeo 110 has a carbon fiber frame and is solidly built. It features an F3 flight controller and supports flight stabilization, which keeps the drone insanely steady and is a welcome feature for beginner pilots. Its radio transmission only supports PPM and SBUS, however, you also have the choice to install other radios like Futaba.
5. Holy Stone HS150 Bolt Bee (Budget Winner)
This mini racing drone is super cheap and, interestingly, the package includes a controller, a charger, and two batteries for enhanced flight experience. It can provide a flying time of around seven minutes and is suitable for entry-level drone racing pilots.
Thanks to its compact size, the drone can reach a flying speed of up to 50km/h within a few seconds. Depending on your experience, you can choose from five different speed modes. This helps a lot until you get used to the controls.
Furthermore, the HS150 Bolt Bee boasts six-axis gyro stability and headless mode. With a single push of a button on the controller, it performs automatic flips and rolls. Its modular design allows you to easily replace broken parts if they get damaged in crashes.
Check out some other Holy Stone racing drones if you’re a fan of the brand.
Picking the Best Racing Drones
Drone racing has become a great source of entertainment and every drone enthusiast will want to check out this amazing experience. There are a variety of racing drones available on the market and we have listed some of the best above. Not only are they user-friendly but also come with some exciting features. Happy flying!
