Star Wars Style Drone Racing Videos

What happens when French drone enthusiasts strap on video goggles to pilot their drones through a forest? MADNESS! The footage looks like the Endor forest speeder bike chase in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. I wonder if drone racing will take off as a sport, it seems like it should.

About the race event:

Twenty-four competitors raced their drones through the 150 m (492 ft) course, the field made up of quadcopters and multicopters customized for an optimal balance of speed and agility. Having to contend with obstacles such as trees, rival drones, low-hanging branches and sharp contrasts in lighting, the racers darted through the forest at speeds as high as 50 km/h (31 mph).

Competing in groups of four, the pilots viewed all the action through goggles, which were fed a stream from micro-cameras built into the front of the drones. The race required them to complete three laps, something Pellarin described as quite an achievement given the inherent difficulties in flying drones through thick forest at high speeds.

The footage is just gorgeous and really inspires me to buy a drone, attach a camera to it, strap on some video goggles, and train to become the greatest drone racer in the would.

H/T: Geekologie