RSE  Ventures President Says It Has 'All The Makings Of A Modern-Day Sport'

Video gamers vs. military unmanned aircraft operators. That's the premise behind the Drone Racing League, which got a lot closer to reality this week when Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross plunked a million dollars into the idea through his sports and entertainment investment firm RSE Ventures.

ESPN reports that the league will feature races that pit self-taught UAV pilots mainly out of the video game world against pilots that were trained to fly UAVs in the military. "It has all the makings of a modern day sport," said RSE Ventures president and CEO Matt Higgins. "The pilots have to have great reflexes and hone their skills over hours and hours of practice. And first-person viewing lends itself to an amazing spectator experience with virtual reality."

For racing, the pilots will wear special glasses that will allow them a first-person view of the aircraft's flight path. The aircraft will fly up to 70 miles per hour, according to the league.

The sport will initially be a television event using a single-design purpose-built aircraft, according to Nick Horbaczewski, the CEO of the league. Eventually, he envisions it evolving into a NASCAR-like event with spectators in the stands and aircraft built by the participants who will also bring in pit crews.

ESPN reports that the league had a test run in July in Yonkers, NY, where the aircraft flew inside an abandoned building. "It's hard to predict exactly where it's going," Higgins said, "but it's going somewhere."

FMI: http://rseventures.com/