Pro Racer Tips

TOP FPV COMPETITORS SHARE THEIR WINNING STRATEGIES

- John Reid

Learning your craft from the leaders in a sport is perhaps one of the best ways to improve your skills as well as drastically cut down the newbie learning curve. So we checked in with some outstanding racers to find out what tips and tricks they have for new and upcoming first-person view (FPV) pilots. Here, we compile their insights into four general areas of racing: building on the bench, prepping for race day, the “mental game,” and getting through your first race day. Whether you’re just getting started or are planning to enter your first race soon, we are sure you will find these tips valuable—we sure did!

ON THE BENCH 

Building a racer can be intimidating, and most competitive quads require some assembly. If it is your first time building a quad, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lumenier pilot Cody “CodeRed” Matson has this advice for rookie pilots and their first build: “Take your time, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Build your drone with repairs in mind. Make sure that your solders are nice and shiny.” Many pilots agree that quality building is important for good flight performance, but there are other advantages as well, as Xhover’s Daniel Sandoval points out: “Try to do a clean build so that if you do need to troubleshoot anything, you can find the issue right away. Also, always make sure you always remove your props when troubleshooting.”