The Drone Racing League (DRL), the world’s premier, professional drone racing property, will air their 2022-23 DRL Algorand World Championship Race Finals on Saturday, April 8th at 3pm EST on NBC, Youtube, Twitter, TikTok, Twitch, Instagram and Facebook. With metaverse sports expected to grow to an $80 billion industry by 2030, DRL is championing the next phase of digital sports through its inaugural “DRL Metaverse Marathon” to become the first property to debut their entire season in the metaverse immediately following the broadcast.
As the Sport from the Future dedicated to its Gen Z fanbase, DRL is consistently innovating and experimenting with new entertainment formats to create the most immersive, inclusive and accessible sports competition, content and experiences for their Tech-setter fans. The DRL Metaverse Marathon, a two-day viewing party of DRL’s entire Algorand World Championship Season, will invite fans to relive the drone racing action from all new perspectives without special equipment.
The DRL Metaverse Marathon, developed by AI and Metaverse company, Meetkai, will showcase 13 levels of real-life and esports drone racing in a digital twin of the DRL SIM video game’s popular MegaCity map. With only a mobile device or computer needed to enjoy the experience, fans will simply click a link to jump in as avatars, explore their favorite parts of this skyscraper-themed world, watch DRL through more immersive views, interact, and have the exclusive opportunity to meet the recently clinched-DRL Algorand World Champion Pilot MCKFPV (South Korea) among top DRL Pilots, including hollywood drone-filmmaker Vanover (USA) and gamer-turned-pro-racer Halowalker (Germany).
“You’ve seen leagues scratch the surface with games and events in the metaverse, but as the most accessible and inclusive sport, the Drone Racing League will become the first property to stream an entire season in the metaverse, giving our fans more access than ever and new meaning to DRL as a real-life video game,” said DRL CMO Anne Marie Gianutsos.
The Metaverse Marathon will follow the DRL Algorand World Championship Race finale on NBC and DRL’s social channels, which will showcase the world’s six best drone pilots flying 90 mph racing drones through a spectacular aerial course around loanDepot park, home to Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins in Miami. The Finale will electrify fans tuning-in with intense drone racing competition, DRL’s first-ever “First Flight” tradition, featuring NFL’s fastest player Tyreek Hill aka “The Cheetah”, and immersive partner experiences from Algorand, the United States Air Force, Google Cloud, T-Mobile, Draganfly and Pointskash during the race.
About DRL
Drone Racing League (DRL) is the world’s premier professional drone racing property. The best drone pilots in the world fly in DRL and millions of fans watch them race on NBC, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Combining groundbreaking technology and immersive drone racing, DRL is creating a new era of sports that brings high-speed competition in real life, in virtual simulation, and in the metaverse. Founded by Nicholas Horbaczewski in 2015, DRL is privately-held and headquartered in NYC. For more information, visit www.drl.io.
About MeetKai Inc.
MeetKai Inc. is a Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence company based in Los Angeles, California. Listed by Forbes as a leading innovator in the space, MeetKai’s cutting-edge AI can give personalized results in a natural conversation and boast expertise about any subject inside the metaverse. After reaching 50+ million users worldwide, MeetKai launched the most cost-effective and easy-to-use metaverse creation tools in the market and is currently building virtual worlds rooted in reality and true utility, accessible to everyone, via browser. Visit www.meetkai.com for more info and the latest MeetKai news.
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The Drone Racing League (DRL), the world’s premier, professional drone racing property, today announced it has been accredited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the first unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) event organizer. A leader in drone-event safety, DRL also announced its participation in FAA’s Partnership for Safety Plan (PSP) Program to establish a standardized set of safety protocols for individuals and organizations seeking to conduct unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) demonstrations, air shows, exhibitions and events in front of live audiences.
To help the industry maximize drone safety at their events, DRL will support the FAA in evaluating safety procedures and technology, developing and implementing official U.S. drone event safety guidelines, and educating the drone community on drone safety. The league will also continue to adhere to the highest safety protocols at their high-speed drone races, which take place in iconic locations, like stadiums, landmarks, and museums, and are watched by millions of fans on NBC, NBCSN, Twitter and other premier networks around the world.
DRL has been committed to drone racing safety since its inception. In 2016, DRL worked with The White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) to develop, standardize, and share drone racing safety protocols with the drone racing community. The league also recently joined the Commercial Drone Alliance, an organization focused on moving safe and responsible drone integration forward. At all DRL race and testing events, DRL activates safety measures, including tech-controls to terminate drones mid-flight, netting to protect pilots, crew and fans from drones, and stringent course closures to ensure nobody is near the drones while they are in the air. DRL will bring this safety process to their DRL Vegas Championship Race Presented by T-Mobile, the culminating, live-audience event of the 2021-22 DRL World Championship Season, on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 outside of T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip.
“We’re honored the FAA has accredited DRL as the first UAS event organization and we’re excited to participate in the FAA’s PSP program to ensure safety is the priority at all UAS events. We look forward to sharing our expertise in drone-event safety more widely with the industry and continuing to work with venue organizers to curate safe and spectacular drone racing experiences through the most unique and incredible spaces,” said DRL COO Ashley Ellefson.
In line with the PSP, DRL educates the public on drone safety through various channels, including digital content and DRL SIM gaming integrations, and provides thought leadership to the broader community. For example, the DRL United States Air Force FPV 101 video series on Twitter immerses fans into the world of drone racing, providing safety tips and advice. The DRL SIM game has an in-depth flight training, teaching players how to safely level up their drone skills on Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, and Epic Games. The league also actively supports the FAA’s drone safety awareness initiatives, speaking on panels and promoting national drone-operation rules to inspire safe flying within the drone industry.
Tonight, as part of the 2021-22 DRL World Championship Season, elite DRL pilots will race through the U.S. Air Force Boneyard – Night Mode map on the DRL SIM at 8pm EST on NBCSN and Twitter.
About Drone Racing League
The Drone Racing League (DRL) is the world’s premier, professional drone racing property. The best drone pilots in the world fly in the league and millions of fans watch them race on NBC, NBCSN and Twitter. With groundbreaking technology and immersive, high-speed races through virtual and live events, DRL is creating a new era of sports, combining both esports and real-life competition.
Founded by Nicholas Horbaczewski in 2015, DRL is a privately held company headquartered in NYC. For more information, visit www.drl.io. To join the conversation, follow DRL on Facebook at facebook.com/thedroneracingleague, on Twitter @DroneRaceLeague, and on Instagram @thedroneracingleague.
]]>NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, the Drone Racing League (DRL), the world’s premier, professional drone racing property, and Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, announced a multi-year partnership. The companies will launch DRL Labs, an innovation hub, to research and develop next-generation drone technology that will advance the sport of drone racing and other industries undergoing significant transformations through drones, including humanitarian aid and mobility.
As one of the longest-running drone companies in the world, Draganfly brings its legacy of drone innovation to the cutting-edge sport of high-speed drone racing. Through DRL Labs, Draganfly and DRL engineers will work to develop new technical solutions within autonomy, next-generation sensors and artificial intelligence, with an aim to contribute discoveries to disaster relief, transportation and delivery spaces.
Globally broadcasted DRL races will provide real-time testing grounds for DRL Lab innovations, reaching DRL’s millions of technology-obsessed, tech-setter fans — 60% of whom claim that brands that partner with DRL invest in innovation. The league will also incorporate Draganfly’s Vital Intelligence platform into their 2021-22 DRL World Championship Season. Draganfly’s groundbreaking AI Vital Intelligence platform can utilize any camera to monitor pilots’ in-race heart and respiratory-rates. Driving new health insights around flying drones and bringing fans closer to the DRL action than ever, the breakthrough diagnostics system will analyze pilots’ physiological reactions to competition, fast speeds, crashes and more. DRL will also release a “Why I Fly” Series Presented by Draganfly, spotlighting pilots’ personal journeys into drone flying during the 2021-22 Season.
“Draganfly has been driving the future of drones since the pre-drone era and the Drone Racing League is constantly driving the future of sports. We’re excited to partner with DRL to develop new drone technology that will disrupt drone racing competition and the fan experience — while leveraging our tech discoveries for the good of humanity,” said Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell.
“The Drone Racing League is built on innovation and the commitment to showcase best-in-class technology to our millions of fans. We’re thrilled to partner with Draganfly, who will bring their leadership in drone hardware, software and logistics to our global racing circuit. With the launch of DRL Labs, together we will introduce novel drone technology that will not only redefine our sport, but also provide real world use cases to support communities around the world,” said DRL SVP, Head of Partnership Development, Ari Mark.
Draganfly will be integrated into the 2021-22 DRL World Championship Season starting next Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 8pm EST on NBCSN and Twitter. The partnership cuts across both esports and real-drone racing through iconic sports arenas and DRL SIM virtual maps as pilots compete to be crowned the World Champion. Find the full DRL race schedule here.
About Draganfly
Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8) is the creator of quality, cutting-edge drone solutions, software and AI systems that revolutionize the way organizations can do business and service their stakeholders. Recognized as being at the forefront of technology for over 20 years, Draganfly is an award-winning, industry-leader serving the public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping and surveying markets. Draganfly is a company driven by passion, ingenuity, and the need to provide efficient solutions and first-class services to its customers around the world with the goal of saving time, money, and lives.
For more information on Draganfly, please visit us at www.draganfly.com.
About Drone Racing League
The Drone Racing League (DRL) is an innovative global sports, entertainment and technology property. The best drone pilots in the world fly in the league and millions of fans watch them race on NBC, NBCSN, and Twitter. With groundbreaking technology and immersive, high-speed races through virtual and live events, DRL is creating a new era of sports, combining both esports and real-life competition.
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