They were able to see how airflow changed due to the aircraft’s angle, pitch, and speed. Smith’s team ran simulations on a supercomputer to calculate the kinds of forces that affect drones piloted in the real world.
Researchers there study unsteady fluid mechanics, trying to predict how the aerodynamic forces on an aircraft change as it alters speed and direction. Smith serves as director of the Nonlinear Computational Aeroelasticity Lab. Marilyn Smith to better understand the aerodynamic forces on its drones. “We’ve gone through great lengths to get that right.”ĭRL worked with a team at Georgia Tech led by Dr. “Accuracy is incredibly important, and in our niche and our world, physics is the most important feature of a drone simulator,” said Gury. Precision becomes imperative when objects are traveling at high speeds. DRL then tested the physics modeling using the same motion capture technology that animation studios use to match the movements of cartoon characters to those of human actors.ĭRL Director of Product Ryan Gury said the company’s investments in technology aren’t unlike, say, how Formula 1 or other top-tier competitive racing circuits might invest in engineering or mechanics.
To create a hyper-realistic online drone flying experience, DRL used complex physics models to tune its digital drones and prep pilots for how drones move in real-world racing environments.
The drone racing league simulator series#
The Drone Racing League is leveraging aerodynamics research and motion capture technology to ensure its video game-like drone simulator is as realistic as possible.ĭRL, the technology and media company that operates a series of races between first-person-view drones, announced a new simulator this week that more closely than ever mirrors the flight dynamics of racing drones.