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The ADF Drone Racing Team has clinched a fifth straight championship at the Military International Drone Racing Tournament, hosted this year at the United Kingdom’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
The event saw the Australian Defence Force racers face a new wave of international teams determined to topple the reigning champions.
A total of 43 pilots from Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States, plus new teams from Belgium, Germany and the Philippines, competed in the three-day competition from 16 to 18 September.
The ADF team battled through a double elimination series with plenty of mid-air crashes and quick repairs, but the Australian drone pilots’ precision, teamwork and consistency carried them across the finish line and on to the podium once again.
ADF Drone Racing Team captain Corporal Daniel McCullock said it was the toughest field they’ve faced.
“The other teams brought incredible energy and skill, and every race pushed us to the limit. We are really proud to hold on to the title for a fifth time and it shows the level of depth we have in the team,” CPL McCullock said.
Adding to the success, the two fastest drone racers from the Australian Army Cadets competed in the Cadet/Youth category. The success of the cadet drone racers displays the exciting talent emerging in the next generation of drone racers.
A new inclusion to the tournament included the Find and Strike competition set on the combat obstacle course, which tested the pilot’s ability to manoeuvre drones through a complex environment requiring agility, navigation and tactical flying.
Drone pilots from Germany and Belgium rose to the challenge and secured victory in that event.
Between heats, the ADF drone pilots shared techniques, exchanged lessons learnt, and strengthened bonds with their international counterparts.
Wing Commander Keirin Joyce, president of the ADF Drone Racing Team, said the result reflected not only talent but the discipline and professionalism of the group.
“Our pilots have shown time and again their ability to perform under pressure and adapt to every challenge,” WGCDR Joyce said.
“This consistency demonstrates the maturity of [first-person view] FPV drone racing in the ADF and is an insight to how the sport continues to grow in importance, both as competition and as a platform to develop FPV and drone capability.”
