T-Mobile and The Drone Racing League Launch First 5G-Enabled Drone
BELLEVUE, Wash. and NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a broad-reaching partnership to advance 5G-powered drone technology, T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS), America's 5G leader, and The Drone Racing League (DRL), the global, professional drone racing property, today 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.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the 5G drone, T-Mobile and DRL today released a mini-documentary video telling their journey of technical development and testing. The documentary chronicles the steps taken to bring this new technology to life, showcasing DRL engineers hand-building an initial prototype of the drone in the DRL lab in New York City and testing it for the first time on the T-Mobile 5G network.
Most Reliable: According to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience collected from January to July 2021. Full details at: www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/USA. Fastest: According to Opensignal Awards – USA: 5G User Experience Report July 2021 , based on independent analysis of average speeds from mobile measurements recorded during the period March 16 - June 13, 2021 © 2021 Opensignal Limited.
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile U.S. Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America's supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile's customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint. For more information please visit: http://www.t-mobile.com.
About Drone Racing League
The Drone Racing League (DRL) is the most innovative global sports, entertainment and tech property. The best drone pilots in the world fly in our league and millions of fans watch them race on NBC, Twitter, and Facebook. 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.
Contacts
Media Contacts
T-Mobile US, Inc. Media Relations
MediaRelations@t-mobile.com
Drone Racing League
Melanie Wallner, Director of Communications
melanie@drl.io
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SOURCE Drone Racing League
