Drones And Speed- 6 Things You Didn’t Know

Drones are becoming more popular all the time. If you currently have a drone or are considering buying one, there are many things you will need to research to ensure its safe operation.

One of those things is the speed of the drone itself.

Not all drones are the same and the speed at which the drone will fly at can vary.

If you are curious about drones and the speed they operate at, you are in the right place.

Here are 6 things you didn’t know about the speed of drones.

Did you know? Drones are also called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAV’s.

What is the fastest speed of a drone?

The fastest drone speed on record is from the Drone Racing League where the DRL RacerX was clocked at 163.5 MPH.

Of course, this is not the normal speed of recreational or commercial drones which are quite a bit slower. The drone that holds this speed record is a very lightweight drone that was designed for racing purposes.

How fast is a racing drone?

Drone racing is a very competitive sport that is growing in popularity all around the world. There are several racing leagues available to race drones. The DRL or Drone Racing League attracts drone pilots to compete for world rankings and win championships along with cash earnings.

Many of the racing drones used will fly at speeds up to 120 MPH or 193 KPH.

How fast is a commercial drone?

Unlike a racing drone, commercial drones will fly at much slower speeds. It is common for commercial drones to fly between 30 – 50 MPH. They also have a maximum speed of 100 MPH, although many drones won’t reach this speed.

Drone speed limits

As previously mentioned, commercial drones have a speed limit of 100 MPH. This is according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 fact sheet. It states that commercial and government uses for drones weighing under 55 pounds must fly at speeds of 100 MPH or less.

Most recreational drones will have a maximum speed of around 40 MPH. Although some can go faster, it common for personal drones being used for recreation to fly at speeds under 40 MPH.

Many hobby drones are flown at much slower speeds of around 15 – 30 MPH.

How fast can the DJI Mavic Air 2 fly?

The DJI Mavic Air 2 quadcopter is one of the most popular drones in the world and has a top speed of 42 MPH or 68 KPH in sport mode.

Drones and wind speed

Many drones can handle flying in wind speeds up to 30 MPH. That is considered to be the strongest wind for a drone and it’s best to fly in wind speeds much lower.

The DJI drones have a maximum wind speed of 18 – 24 MPH depending on the model you have.

The maximum wind speed that your drone can handle is based on its maximum flight speed. Usually the maximum wind speed is calculated by taking 2/3 of it’s maximum flight speed.

For example. if your drone has a maximum speed of 30 MPH, then the highest wind speed it should be flown at is 22 MPH.

If you are flying a drone in an outdoor area that has a windsock, use the following image to help determine the wind speed.