Race To Win:Tips From International Competitor Bapu Madhu

When you think of all the racers out there that are making their mark on the drone-racing circuit, one person that always seems to be in the thick of things is Bapu Madhu. He competes on both a national and international level with all of the top racers out there. He is known for his consistency and managing to place on the podium at a number of events. To top it off, he is, without a doubt, one of the nicest people you will ever meet on the racing circuit. We were fortunate enough to spend a Saturday morning out at Bapu’s favorite flying park with him and his family as he practices for the upcoming Aloha Cup in Hawaii.

- John Reid

RotorDrone: How did you get interested in flying quads/ racing? 

Bapu Madhu: A close group of friends got into racing; we got bored of freestyle pointless flying. Racing quads was like playing a video game on steroids, and now we are totally addicted.

What is the longest distance that you’ve traveled to attend a race? 

Dubai for the World Drone Prix in 2016.

What was the best race you’ve attended?

The World Drone Prix in Dubai was the best race I’ve attended. It is one of those locations that had always been on my bucket list; it is a great world destination. This was one of the most epic locations in the world for people to come and race. The budget for this race was phenomenal! From what we heard, the track alone cost over seven million dollars. The gates were engineered just for this track, so they moved into different formations. Best of all, if you qualified, all expenses— everything—for your whole team was paid for. To top it off, the track was unlike anything else we had ever seen in any race before.

How many hours a week do you practice?