The great fun that drones provide comes in many flavors and subcategories. Many people purchase drones for their endeavors in professional photography and creating breathtaking cinematic pieces. Some folks purchase drones as something akin to remote-controlled planes and helicopters to enjoy casually on a sunny afternoon. One segment of drone buyers that is growing exponentially comprises those interested in high-performance drones for racing.
Drone racing is a hobby that is exploding. With numerous leagues and organizations, it is an exhilarating sport to get into. Here, we will detail some of the hottest drone racing kits on the market today. There are a variety of factors and considerations to take into account when considering a purchase, and we have consolidated some potent contenders into a single guide. We have conducted this listing based on a number of relevant selection criteria that we will now detail.
Selection Criteria #1: Price
The pricing of drones varies considerably due to the numerous and specific parts that make up the entire unit. From the motors and batteries to the frame and camera, there are many variables that constitute a quality drone. Like many other purchasing decisions in life, it is better to pay up for quality components to ensure long-lasting service. While this is the case, you don’t want to be paying more than you have to, though.
Many prospective drone buyers are newcomers to the hobby whether it is racing specifically or other applications. To be confident in your purchase, we have chosen racing kit models that aren’t overly inflated for a subpar product but rather options that are well worth the money. After all, drones can range from below $100 to well over $3,000. Our selections are units that are well worth your hard-earned dollars and won’t keep you awake at night with buyer’s remorse.
Selection Criteria #2: Build Materials
In the world of drones, crashing is inevitable. When you have so much technology and money wrapped up in a device that is specially designed for racing and flying through the air at incredible speeds, you want durability in your product. There are plenty of drones that are aesthetically pleasing and look great overall but are actually not well-constructed. You don’t want your new toy to elicit tears from you when you find it in a mangled mess on the ground!
While there are so many other considerations when buying a drone, this is not one to take lightly. Quality of materials is an important metric when choosing a racing drone. There are a few commonly used materials used in drone construction, and some are simply stronger, more resilient and, oftentimes, lighter than others.
Selection Criteria #3: Weight
Weight is not a static metric but rather one to be considered as it relates to other aspects of the drone. For example, a larger drone with high-quality components all-around, a larger battery and a massive motor is going to, of course, be heavier than an equally fast smaller drone. While this is the case, drones can still be grossly overweight for their desired purpose. If the weight of the drone far exceeds the capabilities of the motor, it doesn’t make much of a winner for racing.
A lightweight drone with a large and fast motor is ideal. A heavy drone won’t win you any prizes as you get left behind in the races by faster and more agile drones. Weight is one of the most important variables in choosing a potent, high-performance racing drone that will keep you in first place time and time again.
Selection Criteria #4: Battery Life
Large motors and fast speed combine for great fun. Unfortunately, however, the higher the performance of the drone, the shorter the battery life. Since you can only equip a battery so large without completely bogging down the drone with massive weight, a happy and harmonious middle ground must be achieved between these two factors. You want to have enough battery life so that you aren’t constantly annoyed by and afraid of losing power at the most inopportune times.
Being able to enjoy the races means having a commendable battery life. Of course, the nature of drone racing means that the battery life of racing drones will be considerably shorter than drones designed for other applications. While this is the case, there are still varying degrees of battery life to choose between. Hopefully in the future, as technology progresses, we will have more options to choose from and more time to enjoy our drones before charging. Alas, for now, this is an important variable.
Selection Criteria #5: Speed
This is possibly the most important consideration when choosing a racing drone. If your drone is well-made, has a long battery life and didn’t cost you a fortune but you are far behind your fellow racers, you are only having so much fun. Since so much of the thrill is darting through the air at breakneck speeds, you want a zippy drone. Bobbing and weaving through obstacles and taking corners at high speeds is so enjoyable as you pilot your machine using the onboard camera. You don’t want to pass on large and powerful motors.
Drone racing is a fun hobby, but ultimately, like any competitive scene, winning makes it all the sweeter. Choosing a drone that can dish out some seriously impressive speed ensures you consistently achieve that rush of fun and come back for session after session. Every drone on this list is quite quick, but some are, of course, faster than others.
The 3 Best Drone Racing Kits
Heads up: This post contains some affiliate links that earn us a small commission if you purchase something through them, at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products that we have reviewed and think our readers will find useful
1. ARRIS C250 V2
This is a quality drone racing kit that is universally highly rated and for good reason. With its high-quality 3k carbon-fiber frame and efficient, high-performance X2205 2300KV motor, you have a strong, fast and lightweight racing machine. The ARRIS C250 V2 is also easy to set up and get racing quickly. It has everything desired in a quality racing drone while being fairly priced. Strength, durability, speed and handling are the attributes you will find with this wonderful racing drone. Buy it on Amazon.
ARRIS C250 V2 Specifications:
| Product: |   |
|---|---|
| Specifications: | • 136-gram lightweight carbon-fiber frame • Sturdy and durable 4-millimeter-thick arms • HD camera • 1500mAh LiPo battery • Radiolink AT9S transmitter with receiver |
ARRIS C250 V2 Pros:
• Lightweight for its larger size for easy maneuvering
• Quite fast and reaches speed of around 60 mph for fast racing
• Good radio transmitter, considered one of the best in these types of kits
• Strong frame that allows for quite a few accidents
• Great handling characteristics for ease of use
• Priced fairly and comes ready to go out of the box for ease of setup
ARRIS C250 V2 Cons:
• Camera that is considered HD but leaves something to be desired
• 1500mAh battery provides a run time of only 15 minutes
• Buzzer to locate the drone after a crash could be louder
What Do Other Reviews Say?
Hear what other reviewers like kOrY FPV are saying about this awesome racing drone.
2. HGLRC BATMAN220
Another great drone racing kit is the HGLRC BATMAN220. The BATMAN220 is another rig that is well-made, lightweight and quite fast. This is a drone that is winning over people all over the world for its racing prowess. With its good looks and quality parts, it would be hard to feel regret buying this great drone. The BATMAN220 is a fantastic machine to give you that competitive edge. Check it out on Amazon.
HGLRC BATMAN220 Specifications:
| Product: |   |
|---|---|
| Specifications: | • 79.5-gram lightweight carbon-fiber frame • AIRBUS F4OSD flight control board • HGLRC GTX585 VTX FPV transmitter • XJB Elf camera with a FOV of 120 • 5-inch, three-blade propellers |
HGLRC BATMAN220 Pros:
• Strong and long-lasting frame built to withstand usage
• Aesthetically pleasing design makes drone more attractive than others
• Fast and agile racing drone that enables you to fly competitively
• All included components are of high quality and will ensure a long life span
HGLRC BATMAN220 Cons:
• Requires work to get running and does not come assembled
• HGLRC customer support is not the easiest to cooperate with
• Does not come with every needed component, including the battery
• Battery life with the recommended battery is quite short at three to five minutes
What Do Other Reviews Say?
The HGLRC BATMAN220 is a well-received unit with a great review from UAVfutures.
3. Parrot Mambo
The Parrot Mambo is a bit of a departure from the other drone racing kits on this list. The Parrot Mambo is, arguably, best suited for complete beginners as it is a fully enclosed package that is both small and accessible. It is the smallest on the list and includes a headset for viewing the camera and a fly pad to interface with. Overall, it is beginner-friendly while still being quite fun. Get this one on Amazon.
Parrot Mambo Specifications:
| Product: |   |
|---|---|
| Specifications: | • HD camera with a 720p resolution and 120-degree FOV • Plastic-frame construction • MicroSD card slot • Maximum height of 330 feet |
Parrot Mambo Pros:
• Carefree and easy to get into, making this good for beginners
• Small and can be flown indoors, unlike some other drones
• Comes with a headset to monitor the camera and a controller to interface with the drone
• Share photos and videos directly from the unit to social media
Parrot Mambo Cons:
• Top speed is not impressive at 18 mph
• Average battery life of 10 minutes
• Not fragile, but the construction is plastic
• There is a noticeable video lag with the camera
What Do Other Reviews Say?
The Parrot Mambo is a great beginner’s racing drone and is well-liked by reviewer Striker Blade Co.
Conclusion
There is a plethora of great racing drone kits on the market today, but it can definitely be hard to come to a decision with so many options. We stand by our top pick with the ARRIS C250 V2 and urge you to buy one if you are interested in drone racing. Come back sometime and check out some more of our product reviews and best-in-class lists.