Drone racing takes flight at Auckland’s Eden Park

Auckland venue Eden Park hosted a new event initiative last weekend with the introduction of drone racing above its famous turf.

In a first for a sports stadium in Australasia, mmbers of Flight Club Auckland and Rotocross New Zealand participated in the event which is one of the first in a New Zealand sports stadium.

With drones having compromised commercial airline flight paths and military aircraft, Eden Park envisage that greater regulations on drone operations will soon be introduced. With this in mind, the venue aims to provide facilities for owners to utilise drones and hone their aerial skills safely.

Commenting on the latest initiative being undertaken by the new venue, Eden Park Trust Chief Executive Nick Sautner explains “the emergence of eSports as a legitimate event worldwide highlights the need for stadium diversification.

“In addition, cultural, arts and music events will attract new audiences who may have never attended a rugby or cricket match at Eden Park, all whilst delivering significant economic benefits to the community.”

Hightlighting that Intel Extreme Masters, who host a series of pro gaming tournaments globally, held its 2018 event in Poland in front of crowds of 173,000 - the biggest live event in eSports history - Sautner added “footage from drone races receives a large online audience as opposed to live crowds in the stadium, however, this digital traction creates valuable tourism opportunities for venues and their respective cities.”

Similar events have been successfully held at Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins, and in the Middle East at Dubai’s World Drone Prix which offered pilots $1 million in cash prizes.

A specialised track was set up for the trial and Eden Park hopes to bring a full event to life in the coming months to attract offshore pilots and sponsorship opportunities.

Image and video of drone racing at Eden Park.

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