What's The Top Speed Of The Fastest Drone You Can Buy Today?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones aren't a new phenomenon, dating back to the First World War. However, back then, these flying vehicles were much larger and far less complex. Over the last century, massive strides have been made in the UAV arena, with U.S. military drones breaking records and civilian technology advancement producing some of the coolest drones that money can buy. These aerial vehicles have become so popular among Western consumers that data shows that in 2023, Americans made up more than 30% of the market.

Today, people are capturing stunning photos and videos from their drones for content creation and, apparently, also racing them. The Drone Racing League (DRL) is an international and professional level of competition where seasoned operators guide their drones through circuits at speeds reaching 90 miles per hour. 

This begs the question of what the fastest model of drone a consumer could purchase is. While the RacerX (used in the DRL events) holds Guinness World Records for an average speed of 165.2 miles per hour and a fastest oneway maximum of 179.78 miles per hour, unfortunately, it's not for sale. However, the iFlight Mach R5 Sport 6S Race Drone, available for $294.49, can apparently achieve a maximum speed of 240 kilometers per hour or 149 miles per hour.

There are several key elements of a drone that determine performance and capability, such as power-to-weight ratio and aerodynamics. Examining the Mach R5 6S, you'll notice weight reduction is at the forefront of its design, utilizing parts made from lightweight carbon fiber and plastics. In fact, this racing drone only tips the scales at 300 grams (one half-of-a-pound) for the canopy model.

In terms of power, this drone features high-performance brushless motors that produce 2050 Kilovolts (KV). The KV measurement indicates the number of revolutions per minute (RPM) the motor produces per Volt. Essentially, the higher the KV, the greater the RPM, producing more potent output.

Another interesting aspect of the Mach R5 6S is that the canopy doesn't include a protruding antenna. An antenna, although small, still creates an amount of aerodynamic drag and reduces the efficiency with which the drone can slice through the air.

So what about flight time with the Mach R5 6S? iFlight estimates a unit equipped with a 1400 milliampere-hour battery can stay airborne(hovering) for around 12 minutes. However, the point of a racing drone is to fly it fast, and one reviewer using the 1550 milliampere-hour battery was able to fly aggressively for around four minutes before the Mach R5 6S began warning of a low battery.