Drone racing is really taking off. Drones are pretty neat, and the unmanned aerial vehicles are becoming more affordable and more readily available. Add the thrill of watching those drones race through the sky and the element of competition, and you’ve got everything you need for the next niche fad.
First person view (FPV) or remote person view (RPV) drone racing is exactly what it sounds like. People purchase, build, and/or modify drones and bring them to the starting line. Pilots control the drones by remote control, and the drones are equipped with cameras that provide the pilots a live feed of what their drones are seeing.
The camera mounted on the drone feeds directly to a pair of glasses or goggles that the pilot wears in order to navigate. It’s essentially remote control airplanes taken to the next level. The drones can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour, and when you’re seeing that in first person, it can certainly feel as though you’re flying. Some compare it to pod racing in Star Wars while other say it gives them a high. Some say that it makes them feel nauseous.
Drone racing definitely seems fresh, new, and exciting, but while drone technology is relatively new, it relies on a component that has been around for decades. First person drone races wouldn’t be possible without servo motors.
Servo motors allow pilots to adjust the camera’s positioning, and servos are also used to control drone movement through wing flap adjustments.
Since drones must be remote controlled, servo motors are the obvious choice. Servos are ideal for remote motion control, which is why they are also perfect for use in industrial machinery.
Indramat systems have been using servomotors since the early 1970’s and many of those original servos are still running today. There aren’t a whole lot of things that will run for half a century, but Indramat servos are built to last.
The trouble with something that still runs after 50 years is that there aren’t going to be a whole lot of people who know how to fix it if something goes wrong. Luckily, we specialize in Indramat parts and components, and can take care of all of your Indramat needs. Give us a call today!