T‑Mobile and The Drone Racing League Launch First 5G‑Enabled Drone

As part of a broad-reaching partnership to advance 5G-powered drone technology, T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader, and The Drone Racing League (DRL), the global, professional drone racing property, launched their first 5G-enabled drone.

This is one of the first racing drones in the world to have an embedded 5G module capable of live streaming video directly to the Internet. The drone will bring sports fans closer to the action than ever, streaming high-definition, immersive First Person View (FPV) race footage to broadcasters via T-Mobile’s 5G wireless network, America’s largest, fastest and most reliable.

This week the drone lifts off for its first public flight at the T-Mobile-sponsored MLB At Field of Dreams Presented by GEICO in Dyersville, Iowa, giving baseball fans unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the iconic ballpark and movie site with exclusive first-person views captured over the T-Mobile 5G network in high-definition video. The 5G drone will take fans on a flight across the cornfields to the movie set to see the house and original ballfield, then on to the MLB field where the long-awaited Field of Dreams Game will be played.

“Drones are one of the most compelling use cases for 5G and we’re working towards a future where all drones will eventually be 5G-connected – that’s why we’ve teamed up with DRL, to fuel this innovation,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “With the power of T-Mobile’s 5G network, we’re empowering innovators to completely reimagine virtually every industry and customer experience – from sports entertainment to disaster recovery, to parcel delivery and beyond.”

“The Drone Racing League is a perfect case study for showcasing the benefits of T-Mobile 5G wireless technology with our high-speed racing drones. Our fans love innovation and discovering how new technology is developed, and we know our 5G-enabled drone will get them excited about new ways they will be able to experience the immersive thrill of professional drone racing,”

said DRL President Rachel Jacobson.

Throughout DRL’s 2021-22 Season, the 5G magenta drone will fly at DRL and T-Mobile events, capturing and sharing immersive content. Ahead of DRL events, the drone will soar around the course, filming exclusive previews of the complex, three-dimensional race tracks for fans tuning in on broadcast.

This new 5G-enabled drone is built to redefine sports entertainment, capturing exhilarating, crisp video footage. The drone has a dual FPV and HD streaming camera system, 5s lipo battery setup for extended flight time, and over 2,400g of thrust, enabling it to film incredible content through mile-long courses while flying over 60 MPH. In its next phase of development, the 5G module will connect the drone’s command and control functions to enable flight over T-Mobile 5G.

With 5G connectivity, this drone is designed to elevate the competition of professional drone racing in the future. DRL Pilots currently fly via analog radio transmissions for lower latency which sacrifices crisp quality footage in their goggles. As technical development of the drone advances, the speed, capacity, and low latency of T-Mobile’s 5G network will enable pilots to see instant high-quality and crisp FPV footage, enhancing their flying abilities. It will also enable fans to experience mesmerizing FPV clips on their mobile devices, giving them the sensation that they are flying inside the drone in real-time.

Source: Press Release

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