Drone Racing Championships Draw 120 Pilots To California State Fair

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Bonney Field is buzzing with the sound of drones as the U.S. National Drone Racing Championships come to the California State Fair.

The first of its kind competition drew 120 quadcopter pilots to Bonney Field on Thursday vying for a $25,000 prize.

Race director Scot Refsland says the pilots raced in groups of eight on Thursday during time trials before Friday's competition.

Carlos Puertolas is well known for his drone videos online. Now, he's trying to make a name for himself in the racing world. It's not easy.

"You need to be able to build a little bit of muscle memory to be able to do it really fast," he said.

Pilots navigate the course by first-person view through goggles that show video from the small cameras on their quadcopters.

"I used to race motorcycles," said Mackenna McClure. "This is the only thing that I can describe that gives me the same adrenaline rush as motorcycles."

Small and fast, the drone can reach speeds of up to 80 mph, and just like car racing, spectators are bound to see a few crashes.

"You'll see them going around and people literally going under someone else, clip a prop, beak someone else's prop and keep going on," she said.

Fans are kept safely behind nets, and the Federal Aviation Administration has been invited to help shape safety rules for future events.