World Drone Prix: Everything you need to know about the world's biggest drone race

Come March 11, eight drones will take to the air, whizzing and whirring through the winds blowing from the Persian Gulf and overlooking Dubai's swish, man-made Palm Jumeirah islands. The team that races the fastest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone will walk away with handsome cash prizes. The organisers have committed to cash prizes of $1 million. Welcome to the Drone Prix!

As is all things Dubai, this one too promises to be bigger, faster and richer than what's in practice elsewhere. The concept arose in response to the question on what the future holds. "The Drone Prix will be the biggest competition of its kind in the world," says Omar Alolama, secretary general of the World Organisation of Racing Drones (W.O.R.D), the organising and regulatory body of the Drone Prix. "Any new technology can be used in a positive or a negative manner. Our leadership has seen the positive applications of drones as evidenced by the Drones for Good awards, instituted last year. We want to inspire people to be positive."

By that, Alolama means motivating the industry to make drones and drone components do more and better things, bring in innovation, boost battery life and so on. There are hundreds of clubs and leagues where enthusiasts pilot drones in competitions. The global drone racing market, says Alolama, is valued at $609 million and pegged to reach $4.6 billion by 2021.

To ensure the race "is sustainable 5, 10, 20 years down the line", the organisers did some due diligence. They conducted a survey over a year-and-a-half, during which time they surveyed around 10,000 people in Europe and Asia. Among those surveyed were members of drone racing clubs, manufacturers and people from the components industry. "The audience for drone racing is mostly young adults, the average age being 26 years," reveals Alolama. "We found that 98 per cent were college educated and of these, 48 per cent have higher degrees (PhDs or Masters). Ninety per cent spend $300 per month on drones and related accessories."

In an age where old-world economics and oil are giving way to Internet-based services and Bitcoin, prospects for drone racing appear bright. While numerous races are organised across the world, the biggest strain, according to Alolama, is the prize money. "In Hawaii, Droneworlds will have a $200,000 prize, but that's in cash and kind," he says. "We are the first to commit $1m in prize money. This shows our commitment for the potential in this technology and hope that it'll spur research and development."
Bring out the chequered flag, we say!

What is a drone race?
It's a race in which a person uses a remote control to operate and fly a drone fitted with a First Person View (FPV) camera through an aerial track. The person who operates the control, or pilot, usually wears a goggle that allows him/her to see the track through the attached camera and fly accordingly. The track or course may or may not have obstacles or different levels of obstacles. This is why a navigator is needed — to inform the pilot, who only gets to see the camera view, of what else is in/around the track.

Who can race at the World Drone Prix?
As long as the police or the Interpol isn't looking for you, the race is open to all. "This the first sport on earth that doesn't require physical strength," says Omar Alolama. "We've tried to keep it as inclusive and open as possible. The idea is to have many countries participate."

Team: Each participating team will have a minimum of four people — a pilot, navigator, technician and pit stop personnel. A back-up pilot is permitted. Each team will necessarily have to have a sponsor after whom it will be named. For instance, Team Microsoft or Team Tata. As Alolama puts it: "We want companies to invest in R&D." But it doesn't have to be a corporate sponsorship — family, friends and peers can also decide to sponsor a team.

Race categories and judging criteria
There are two race categories: Freestyle and Track
Freestyle: As the name suggests, in the freestyle category, a pilot has to fly his/her drone in the most adventurous and thrilling manner for four minutes. The idea is to do tricky manoeuvres and wild stunts. This category will be judged by online and offline audiences.
Track: This category follows a format similar to that practiced by Formula 1 racing cars, in that each team must successfully fly its drone for a certain number of laps across the track, including clearing obstacles, in the fastest possible time. At least one pit stop — within a minimum of five seconds and a maximum of 30 seconds — is mandatory per race. Pit stop time will be counted in the final time score. Points will be allocated to teams based on the total time taken to successfully complete the race. A panel of judges will ensure that there is no cheating.

Level playing field
All participating drones will be inspected. Participating teams have to comply with W.O.R.D's technical specifications for qualifying drones. For instance, there are specifications for drone engine size, weight, radio frequency, battery charge, flight controllers, frame material, etc.
Each team is allowed two identical aircraft during races. Each drone will have to be fitted with a 'tracking module' during tests and races.

Track race: Qualifying & competing
Teams will have to find a sponsor and register on W.O.R.D.'s website to make it through the qualifying races. A total of 32 teams will be selected to come to Dubai. In the flying sessions there will be: Round of 32, Round of 16 and a final race of eight drones. The pilot who scores the highest number of points obtained during all the races held in a race year will be awarded the Drone Racing World Champion title. In addition, the title of Drone Racing Champion Constructor will also be up for grabs, which takes into account the innovation of components and overall results of the races.

The track
No more than eight pilots will race in the aerial track at a time in these sessions.
W.O.R.D is tight-lipped about the "one-of-a-kind" track it is creating. All Alolama says is: "Our track is much more advanced than any other existing one. Suffice to say that the person who wins the race will truly be the undisputed champion."

Watching the race
A grand stand for 5,000 people will be set up at the venue for audiences to enjoy track and freestyle races. "Each drone will have a camera. The view will be streamed on a screen so you will feel like you are flying," says Alolama. Those not in Dubai can watch the live stream online.