That’s the question that we have been asking ourselves since we saw the ad on an electronic billboard on Edsa.
The ad shows a group of motocross bikers in hot pursuit of a small fast-moving camera-carrying RC (remote controlled) aeroplane more properly known as quadcopter or drone. The eye-catching ad is produced by a soda brand that has been known for supporting extreme and action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX and Freestyle Motocross, to name a few.
Today, the soda brand has stepped up its level of extreme and thrill by entering the virtual world and sponsoring a drone racing event called DR1 Invitational. With all the technological advancements happening around the world, even drones can now be part of a sport. In fact, it is gaining more attention recently.
In drone racing, skilled drone pilots fly their quadcopter drones through the courses at speeds up to 120mph. They wear special eye gear called First Person View goggles that allow them to see a live image where their drones are flying.
The soda brand partnered with DR1, a world-class drone racing series that features the best drone pilots, to make the drone racing series possible. The first race of DR1 Invitational will be held this month at the Sepulveda Dam in Los Angeles and will showcase 12 top drone-racing pilots in the world.
As pilots fly their drones at speeds of more than 80 mph, they “will face down a gauntlet of environmental and man-made obstacles” according to PRNewswire. Pilots will control their drones from the top of the dam, while spectators watch from above. The race will be divided into heats, qualifiers, and finals over the course of two days.
The race will be aired in August in a one-hour broadcast special on Discovery Channel and Science Channel. DR1 will also stream the series globally on Twitch, a live streaming video platform.
As part of this partnership, the soda brand also sponsors drone pilot Tommy “Ummagawd” Tibajia, being the first brand to sign and sponsor a drone-racing pilot.
To promote the race globally and as part of the brand’s “Do The Dew” marketing campaign, the soda brand has produced a TV and digital commercial introducing a sport called “drone hunting.”
In this imagined sport, there is no need for animals to get involved. No, it also does not involve guns or shooting drones in a field. Rather, a group of motocross racers chases a drone in a forest with their nets and riding crops in hand. It is a mixture of motocross, drone racing and hunting.
So, is drone hunting a sport? No, but it could be with how fast our technology is developing and how people are being more creative. Also, it was inspired by the brand’s belief that “it doesn’t exist until you do it.”
