FPV drone racing glossary, A to Z.

Definitions here say what a term means and who uses it; they are not instructions. Nothing on this page describes how to fly, build, solder, wire, tune, configure, bind, charge, balance, store, dispose of or repair anything, and no gear named here is presented as making flying safe or legal. Injuries and battery fires are named here only, never treated: any injury needs medical care, and a burning or smoking lithium battery is a matter for the fire service.

The law of the air is different in every country, so legal terms are given one jurisdiction at a time, each with its authority, its rule and its date: the United States (49 U.S.C. 44809 and 14 CFR as published by Cornell's Legal Information Institute, because faa.gov could not be read), the United Kingdom (the CAA's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320, March 2026), the European Union (Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019, and EASA's own pages), Canada (Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, 19 March 2026) and Australia (CASA instruments on the Federal Register of Legislation, because casa.gov.au could not be reached). Racing rules (the FAI's F9U class, MultiGP's classes) and association rules (AMA, BMFA, MAAA, MAAC) are not law, and each body's rules are kept apart. FAI rules come from Volume F9, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025); the 2026 edition was not read, and its effective date is reported both as 1 January 2026 and as 1 June 2026. MultiGP's classes are as its class page states them; its Rule Book was not read. Where sources disagree, each version is given with who says it; items resting on a search summary or a single report are labelled unconfirmed, and makers' statements are labelled as claims. Events are as the research recorded them on 30 October 2026.

Jump to: 0-9 A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W

0-9

100 g and 250 g (UK)

The two weight lines in the UK's drone rules from 1 January 2026, as the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) states them: a Flyer ID (proof of passing the CAA's basic competence test) is needed to fly a drone or model aircraft of 100 g or more, and an Operator ID is needed by whoever is responsible for one of 250 g or more, or of 100 g or more with a camera; under 100 g neither is needed. The CAA's news release of 29 December 2025 says the Flyer ID line fell from 250 g to 100 g on 1 January 2026, a change it estimated could affect up to 500,000 flyers. (The law in the UK)

100 Wh and 160 Wh

The watt-hour lines in IATA's passenger guidance on lithium-ion batteries (31 March 2026, based on the 2025-2026 ICAO Technical Instructions and the 67th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations). At 100 Wh or less, a battery installed in a device may travel in carry-on or checked baggage and spares in carry-on only, without operator approval; above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh, operator approval is needed and spares are limited to two per device, carry-on only; above 160 Wh, batteries go only as cargo under the Dangerous Goods Regulations. IATA names drones among items whose batteries may need airline approval, and says its document is guidance only; the guidance defines lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries and does not name lithium polymer, so this site does not say which band a LiPo pack falls into. US limits from the FAA and PHMSA could not be read and are not given here. (Flying with batteries)

18 U.S.C. 39B

A US federal criminal statute, added by Congress on 5 October 2018 (Pub. L. 115-254), that makes it a crime to operate an unmanned aircraft so as to knowingly or recklessly interfere with or disrupt an occupied aircraft in a way that poses an imminent safety hazard, or to knowingly operate one without authorisation in a runway exclusion zone at an airport with Class B, C or D airspace at the surface. Its penalties rise where serious bodily injury or death results; no amounts are given on this site. Any injury needs medical care. (Enforcement)

1S to 6S (cell counts)

The number of lithium cells in series in a racing battery pack, written as a number followed by S, as racing rules use the term. Under C.1.2 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), an F9U model may use packs of up to 6S, with no cell above 4.25 V when fully charged (17 V for a 4S pack, 25.5 V for 6S), and pack voltage is measured before each race. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) lists its Whoop class as 1S, Micro as up to 3S, Freedom Spec as up to 6S and Pro Spec as 6S. No standard defining the S count by that name was found, so the term is given here only as these racing rules use it. (LiPo batteries)

25 mW

A video-transmitter power figure that appears in two different kinds of rule. As a racing rule, the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) sets 25 mW as the maximum F9U video transmitter output on the ground and in the air (C.1.5), and MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) says that where a race sets a 25 mW limit, the aim is to cut interference between pilots. As a radio rule in Europe, the CEPT/ECC paper of 14 February 2018 gives 25 mW e.i.r.p. for 5725 to 5875 MHz under ERC Recommendation 70-03 Annex 1. The racing limits are not law, and this site gives no advice on changing transmitter power. (Video transmitters and cameras)

250 g (by jurisdiction)

A weight line that appears in several countries' rules, each separate. United States: under 14 CFR 48.15(b), an aircraft of 0.55 lb or less at take-off flown only under 49 U.S.C. 44809 need not be registered with the FAA. European Union: under Article 14 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read), open-category operators must register if the aircraft has a take-off mass of 250 g or more (or meets the 80-joule or personal-data sensor tests), and EASA's open category page puts class C0 under 250 g. Canada: Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) calls aircraft under 250 g micro-RPAs and requires those of 250 g to 25 kg to be registered. United Kingdom: the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) requires an Operator ID at 250 g or more, or at 100 g or more with a camera. (Frames and classes)

330 mm circle

The F9U size rule: under C.1.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), the axes of all motors must fit inside a circle 330 mm in diameter, and total take-off weight including batteries must not exceed 1 kg; the FAI's 2024 World Drone Racing Championship Sporting Rules (June 2024) set the same limits. MultiGP measures its Open Class differently, by a frame of at most 305 mm motor to motor diagonally, per MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read). (The FAI F9U rules)

4.25 V and 4.35 V per cell

Two different bodies' ceilings on a racing battery's cell voltage, which are separate rules and never one figure. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) caps each F9U cell at 4.25 V when fully charged (C.1.2); its change log describes the cell-voltage limit as a safety measure and lists it among the changes effective 1 January 2020. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) allows up to 4.35 V per cell in its Open, Whoop and Micro classes. (LiPo batteries)

49 U.S.C. 44809 (US recreational exception)

The US statute under which a person may fly a small unmanned aircraft for recreation without specific FAA certification or operating authority. Congress enacted it on 5 October 2018 (the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, section 349, replacing the section 336 special rule, as the FAA's notice of 17 May 2019 recounts), and last amended it on 16 May 2024 (Pub. L. 118-63). All eight conditions in 44809(a) must be met, among them flying strictly for recreation, following a community-based organisation's safety guidelines, keeping the aircraft in visual line of sight of the operator or of a visual observer co-located and in direct communication with the operator, giving way to manned aircraft, prior authorisation in Class B, C or D airspace, staying at or below 400 ft in Class G airspace, passing the aeronautical knowledge and safety test, and registration and marking (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). Flights that do not meet it fall under 14 CFR Part 107, as a search summary of FAA pages puts it (unconfirmed wording). (The law in the United States)

5.8 GHz video band

The radio band FPV video links use, as each regulator and racing body publishes it. United States: the FCC's Notice FCC 18-71 (June 2018) lists 5650 to 5925 MHz as the amateur band such video transmitters purport to use, and its Enforcement Advisory 2018-02 (5 June 2018) says a transmitter that can work outside the amateur bands needs FCC certification, while equipment designed only for amateur frequencies needs an amateur licence to operate. Europe: the CEPT/ECC paper of 14 February 2018 lists 5725 to 5875 MHz under ERC Recommendation 70-03 Annex 1 at 25 mW e.i.r.p. Racing: the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) allows F9U video only in the 5.8 GHz band, at no more than 25 mW (C.1.5). This is a racing rule, not law. This site gives no advice on changing transmitters, power or frequencies. (Radio rules by country)

5-inch and 7-inch

Propeller-size names for racing drones. No aviation authority, standards body or racing body read for this site defines a class called 5-inch by that name: MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) has a Freedom Spec class for 5-inch drones, 5-inch Spec and 7-inch Spec classes whose limits the race organiser sets, and a 7-inch Pro Spec class (6S, 1200 g all-up weight). The FAI's F9U class instead caps propellers at 6 inches (15.2 cm) under C.1.3 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary). (Frames and classes)

A

A1, A2 and A3 (EU)

The three subcategories of the EU's open category, as EASA's open category page names them: A1 over people but not over assemblies of people, A2 close to people, and A3 far from people. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read), A2 flights keep at least 30 m horizontally from uninvolved persons, or 5 m with an active low-speed mode (UAS.OPEN.030), and A3 flights stay where no uninvolved person is endangered and at least 150 m from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas (UAS.OPEN.040). EASA's FAQ 140038 says drones able to fly faster than 19 m/s may operate only in A3. Later summaries of the A2 and A3 distances differ: EASA's FAQ 116452 gives A2 a distance at least equal to the flight height and never under 5 m, and Germany's dipul page attaches a 30 m minimum to A3; the consolidated regulation was not read. (The law in the EU)

A1, A2 and A3 (UK)

The three subcategories of the UK's Open category, as the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) names them: Over People (A1), Near People (A2) and Far from People (A3). A Flyer ID covers A1 and A3, while A2 needs the A2 Certificate of Competence. A3 flights keep 50 m from uninvolved people, never over them, and 150 m from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas; A3 covers privately built and legacy aircraft under 25 kg. (The law in the UK)

AAIB record-only UAS roundups

Bimonthly summaries from the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch of drone occurrences it did not investigate in the field or by full correspondence; the AAIB says they rest wholly or largely on the aircraft commander's information and that their accuracy cannot be assured. The April to May 2026 roundup (published 9 July 2026) lists six occurrences with no injuries stated, including one in which the AAIB noted that the first-person view did not give enough information to keep clear of a power line. Any injury needs medical care. (Incidents and near misses)

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)

The US national model-aircraft association. It publishes the National Model Aircraft Safety Code (the copy found is effective 1 January 2018) and AMA Document 550 (updated 3 March 2021), its FPV document, which requires an AMA FPV spotter next to the pilot on every FPV flight; on 24 November 2015 its Executive Council named MultiGP an official Special Interest Group for FPV racing. A search summary of an FAA page lists the AMA among FAA-recognised community-based organisations (unconfirmed, because faa.gov could not be read). These are association rules, not law. (The bodies)

ACMA (Australia)

The Australian radio regulator. Search summaries of its page on the Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2025, which timed out when fetched, say it covers short-range devices including drone telecommand and video sender transmitters, needs no application, and that class-licensed use has no interference protection (unconfirmed); its power limit for 5.8 GHz video was not read. The MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019) tells its FPV flyers to comply with the ACMA class licence for the video downlink band, an association statement, not law. (Radio rules by country)

Advanced operations (Canada)

A Transport Canada category of small-RPA flight under CARs 901.62 and 901.69, as Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) describes it: flights within visual line of sight in controlled airspace, closer than 30 m to people not involved (including under 5 m), or within 3 nautical miles of an airport or 1 nautical mile of a heliport, plus extended visual line of sight and sheltered operations. The advanced operations pilot certificate needs age 16, the Advanced Operations examination and a flight review (CAR 901.64(c)). (The law in Canada)

Advertised event (Canada)

An outdoor event advertised to the general public, including a sporting event, as CAR 900.01 defines it in Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026). Under CARs 901.41 and 903.01(b), flying less than 100 ft from the boundaries of an advertised event needs a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC-RPAS), and flying at one without it brings a civil penalty under the CARs. Transport Canada's 2025 summary of changes says that from 1 April 2025 microdrones flown at advertised events need an SFOC too. (The law in Canada)

AE560 (University of Florida study)

A University of Florida IFAS publication by Gorucu and Ampatzidis on drone injuries in NEISS emergency-department data from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019, all ages, built from 89 unweighted cases weighted to national estimates. Lacerations were 72 percent of diagnoses; upper extremities (mostly fingers) were 56 percent of body parts and the head 24 percent; 84 percent of patients were male. Its national total contradicts itself and is never one number: the results give about 4,250 injuries for 2015 to 2020 with a confidence interval of 3,625 to 3,790, the method says 2015 to 2019, and the summary says more than 3,700. The counts are emergency-department visits, not risk per pilot; the study is not specific to racing and does not separate propeller contact, and its mention of propeller guards is the authors' recommendation, not a measured result. Any injury needs medical care. (Propeller injuries research)

Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 (UK)

A UK Act of Parliament whose Part 3 on unmanned aircraft contains Schedule 8 (powers of police officers and prison authorities), Schedule 9 (police powers relating to the Air Navigation Order 2016 and the Unmanned Aircraft (Offences and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025) and Schedule 10 (fixed penalties for certain unmanned aircraft offences). Which offences are currently designated for fixed penalty notices was not confirmed, and no amounts are given here. (Enforcement)

Airprox and UA/Other (UK)

The UK Airprox Board, a joint service of the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the Military Aviation Authority, assesses reported Airprox and groups drones in a UA/Other sector that also includes model aircraft, balloons, kites and unknown objects, so its figures are not drone-only. Its 40th annual report counts 298 Airprox assessed in calendar year 2024, of which 90 involved UA/Other; it says drone reports rose about 7 percent on 2023 but stayed well below their peak of 139 in 2018, and that many Airprox are likely never reported. (Incidents and near misses)

All-up weight

The weight of the whole aircraft ready to fly, as bodies use the term in their own rules. AMA Document 551 (EC approved 04/05/2014) counts the aircraft, propulsion, radio control, FPV equipment, autopilot and batteries, and limits AMA indoor FPV ultra-micro aircraft to 150 g and micro aircraft to 300 g. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) caps Open Class at 800 g and Pro Spec at 1200 g. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) caps an F9U model's total take-off weight, batteries included, at 1 kg (C.1.1). These are association and racing rules, not law. (Frames and classes)

AMA Document 550

The Academy of Model Aeronautics' FPV document, Uncrewed Aircraft Operations Utilizing First-Person View (updated 3 March 2021). It requires every FPV flight to have an AMA FPV spotter next to the pilot keeping the aircraft in visual line of sight throughout (2(d)); the spotter warns of approaching aircraft and must be ready to take the transmitter and fly by sight whenever the flight is in doubt (2(f) and 2(g)). It recommends separations for aircraft up to 2 lb of 10 ft from pilots and helpers, 25 ft from spectators and 50 ft from vehicles or structures. Model Aviation (August 2012) says the AMA recognised FPV in October 2008 and that Document 550 was its first FPV policy. These are association rules, not law. (Flying with goggles and observers)

AMA Document 551

The Academy of Model Aeronautics' document on indoor FPV flying of ultra-micro and micro aircraft (EC approved 04/05/2014, as the document writes the date; whether it is still the current version was not confirmed). It limits AMA FPV ultra-micro aircraft to 150 g and micro aircraft to 300 g all-up weight, lets AMA FPV pilots fly them indoors without a spotter under the conditions in its article 3, and says the radio-control and video systems must use FCC-approved frequencies, with FCC licensing where either runs on amateur frequencies. These are association rules, not law. (Frames and classes)

AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code

The Academy of Model Aeronautics' general safety code for members (document 105; the copy found is effective 1 January 2018, and a newer edition was not confirmed). Members agree not to fly carelessly or recklessly, to yield to human-carrying aircraft, to avoid flying directly over unprotected people, moving vehicles and occupied structures, not to fly powered models outdoors closer than 25 feet to anyone but the pilot and helpers at the flightline, and to use an established safety line between flying and spectators; members flying FPV follow the AMA's Advanced Flight System programming. These are association rules, not law. (Association safety codes)

AMA-sanctioned race, the first

Two accounts disagree. The AMA's National Model Aviation Museum (blog of 21 July 2017) and Model Aviation (August 2017 issue) date the first AMA-sanctioned FPV race to May 2015, on the Santa Barbara High School football field during the Data X conference, with fewer than 25 pilots, won by Zoe Stumbaugh; the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College (2016) calls it the Santa Cruz FPV Drone Race of April 2015. (The first races)

Analogue video

The older of the two kinds of FPV video link: in a basic system an on-board camera feeds an analogue video transmitter, and a ground receiver matched to its frequency shows the picture on goggles or a monitor, sometimes with an on-screen display of flight data (Wikipedia, secondary, whose article carries warnings for missing citations). the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) allows analogue and digital systems in the 5.8 GHz band for F9U, and requires the organiser's receiving system to handle both, and both LHCP and RHCP antenna polarisation (C.1.5). (Goggles, analogue and digital)

Arm switch and disarming (MAAA)

Under section 9.2 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019), racing multirotors need a switch-based arm switch that stops all motors when disarmed and a radio failsafe that stops them immediately on signal loss, with no two-stage failsafe allowed; section 6.5 calls immediate disarming of the motors, as the observer directs, the key safety control in racing conditions. The FAI's F9U start procedure under C.6.2 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) has the Starter call on pilots to arm their models before a single start tone. These are association and racing rules, not law. (Race safety rules)

Article 16 authorisation (EU)

An authorisation that, under Article 16 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read), a member state's competent authority may grant on request for operations within a model aircraft club or association, under national rules or the club's own procedures; it is valid only in the issuing member state. EASA's FAQ on drone racing says races organised by clubs or associations may hold such national authorisations, and that a race with spectators otherwise belongs in the specific category. (The law in the EU)

Article 16 authorisation (UK)

A UK Civil Aviation Authority Article 16 Operational Authorisation held by an association for its members. The BMFA's page (Issue 8, December 2025) says its authorisation covers BMFA and British Drone Flyers members, requires a competent observer for general FPV flying with FPV aircraft of at most 3.5 kg, and allows FPV racing in a cordoned-off sterile area, at up to 50 m (160 ft) above the surface as the BMFA's guide to the authorisation puts it, under the race director's directions without individual observers. A trade report (sUAS News, December 2025) says the CAA's 8th-issue authorisation for FPV UK lets members fly FPV without a competent observer in a sterile area and as close as 30 m to uninvolved people. the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) says membership of a recognised club or association may give additional flying authorisation. The associations' own conditions are not law; the authorisation is the CAA's. (The law in the UK)

Assemblies of people (EU)

A term in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read): under Article 4(1)(c), an open-category flight is kept away from people and not flown over assemblies of people, and UAS.OPEN.020 bars A1 flights from overflying them. EASA's FAQ on drone racing says spectators are not allowed in the open category, so a race with spectators needs the specific category or a club's Article 16 authorisation. (Flying near people)

ASSURE Task A4 report

A 2017 study for the FAA's UAS Center of Excellence (ASSURE), UAS Ground Collision Severity Evaluation, Revision 2, by Arterburn, Ewing, Prabhu, Zhu and Francis, on blunt force trauma, penetration and laceration injuries from small drones. Its abstract names kinetic energy, energy density and rotor diameter as the characteristics most significant for blunt force trauma, penetration and laceration respectively. It is FAA-sponsored research, not a rule. Any injury needs medical care. (Propeller injuries research)

B

Basic operations (Canada)

A Transport Canada category of small-RPA flight, as Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) describes it: in uncontrolled airspace (CAR 901.14), 100 ft (30 m) or more from anyone not involved (CAR 901.26), and 3 nautical miles or more from the centre of an airport or 1 nautical mile from the centre of a heliport (CAR 901.47). The basic operations pilot certificate is issued at 14 or older after the RPAS Basic Operations examination (CARs 901.54 and 901.55); under-14s may fly basic operations under the direct supervision of a certificate holder. (The law in Canada)

Betaflight

Flight-control software for drones that describes itself in its project README as free and open source (GPL-3.0), listing support for STM32 F4, F7, G4, H5 and H7 and other processors. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) allows any Betaflight flight controller in its Pro Spec class, and requires Betaflight with an 18,000 RPM limit in Freedom Spec. This site describes no software procedures. (Flight controllers and ESCs)

BLHeli_32, BLHeli_S and AM32

Firmware names for electronic speed controllers, as trade press reports them: Hackaday (7 June 2024) says BLHeli_32 was closed-source 32-bit ESC firmware whose developer stopped the project, citing use of its firmware by sanctioned countries, including for warfare; that the earlier BLHeli and BLHeli_S are open source, with forks such as Bluejay; and that AM32 is an open-source 32-bit alternative. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) allows only official releases of BLHeli32 and AM32 in its Pro Spec class, and no BLHeli_S-based firmware such as Bluejay. (Flight controllers and ESCs)

BMFA Achievement Scheme

A voluntary UK scheme run by the British Model Flying Association in which radio-control pilots, members or not, have their flying and safety standard checked by an examiner. It has Basic Proficiency, A (entry) and B (advanced) certificates, and holders of a Basic Proficiency or A certificate can add an FPV extension. It is an association scheme, not law. (How people learn)

BMFA (British Model Flying Association)

The UK's model-flying association. It holds a CAA Article 16 Operational Authorisation (Issue 8, December 2025) for BMFA and British Drone Flyers members and runs a voluntary Achievement Scheme with an FPV extension. Its guide to the authorisation (updated 21 December 2021) requires FPV racing to take place in a sterile area from which uninvolved people are excluded, at up to 50 m (160 ft) above the surface, under event procedures and the race director, including a terminate-race-and-land call. Its rules are association rules, not law; the authorisation is the CAA's. (The bodies)

Broadcast module (US Remote ID)

One of the three ways to meet the US Remote ID operating rule in 14 CFR Part 89: a module meeting 89.320, listed on an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance and tied to the aircraft's registration, that broadcasts from take-off to shutdown. Under 89.115(a) the person at the controls must be able to see the aircraft at all times and, if the broadcast stops, must land it as soon as practicable (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). The FAA's talking points of 1 July 2024 say a module broadcasts its serial number, the aircraft's position, altitude and velocity, the take-off location and altitude and a time mark, but not the control station's location. (Remote ID)

C

C0 to C6 (EU class marks)

The EU's drone class marks under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, as Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (dipul platform, 2026) summarises them, because the regulation itself could not be read: C0 under 250 g with a top speed of 19 m/s; C1 under 900 g, also 19 m/s; C2 up to 4 kg with a slow mode of 3 m/s; C3 and C4 up to 25 kg; C5 and C6 modified C3 designs for the specific category (C5 with a slow mode of at most 5 m/s, C6 with a top speed of 50 m/s). EASA's open category page places C0 and C1 in A1, C2 in A2 and C3 and C4 in A3. The German ministry lists geo-awareness as required on C1, C2 and C3 but not on C5 or C6. Spain's AESA says a class mark is a technical feature set by the manufacturer, which an operator cannot apply. (Class marks, EU and UK)

CAA (United Kingdom)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority, the UK's aviation regulator for drones and model aircraft. It issues Flyer IDs and Operator IDs, sets the Remote ID dates for UK class-marked drones and grants Article 16 Operational Authorisations to associations, as its Code CAP2320 (March 2026) and its Remote ID policy page describe. Its FPV page says FPV equipment does not permit flight beyond visual line of sight in the Open category, giving the reduced depth perception and peripheral vision of flying from a screen as its reason for requiring an observer. (The law in the UK)

CAP2320 (UK Drone and Model Aircraft Code)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code (March 2026, 48 pages), its plain-language summary of UK drone law. The CAA bases it on the UK versions of Regulations (EU) 2019/945 and 2019/947, the Air Navigation Order 2016 and the Data Protection Act 2018, and says the precise wording is in those instruments. It covers the Flyer ID and Operator ID, the Open category's A1 to A3, the observer rule for FPV, UK class marks and Remote ID, and says many of its rules are requirements of UK law whose breach is a criminal offence. (The law in the UK)

CASA (Australia)

Australia's aviation authority for the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), whose Part 101 covers unmanned and model aircraft. CASA's own website could not be reached for this site, so Australian rules here rest on CASA's explanatory statement for instrument CASA EX64/24 (registered 21 October 2024) and on CASA's instrument CASA.RPAS.0572, a copy of which the MAAA hosts; the MAAA's own policies are association rules, not law. (The law in Australia)

CASA.RPAS.0572 (Australia)

A CASA instrument, First Person View Operation (Model Aeronautical Association of Australia) Approval 2022, made on 26 August 2022, in force from 1 September 2022 and repealed at the end of August 2027. For CASR subregulation 101.073(2), it approves MAAA affiliate members and listed visitor classes to fly a model beyond their own visual line of sight only by first person view technology, only under the MAAA FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019), and only at registered MAAA club flying fields or CASA-approved MAAA events. It defines first person view technology as flying without direct line of sight from a live video downlink from a camera fixed to the aircraft. MOP066 itself is an association policy, not law. (The law in Australia)

CASR 101.073 (Australia)

The Australian regulation in CASA's Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 that, as CASA's explanatory statement for instrument CASA EX64/24 (registered 21 October 2024) describes it, makes it an offence without a CASA approval to operate an unmanned aircraft that is not within the operator's visual line of sight. An aircraft is within visual line of sight if the operator can continually see, orient and navigate it to meet their separation and collision-avoidance responsibilities, with or without corrective lenses but without binoculars, a telescope or a similar device. (The law in Australia)

CASR 101.245 (Australia)

The Australian regulation that, as CASA's explanatory statement for instrument CASA EX64/24 (registered 21 October 2024) describes it, bars operating an RPA within 30 m of a person not directly associated with the operation without a CASA approval. The MAAA's racing rules set their own 30 m buffer from spectators and uninvolved people (section 9.2 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019)), which is an association rule, not law. (Flying near people)

CBO (community-based organisation, US)

A term in 49 U.S.C. 44809(h): a membership-based association recognised by the FAA Administrator, described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, whose mission is demonstrably about model aviation and which has comprehensive safety guidelines, supports local clubs and helps with local flying sites. Under 44809(a)(2), a US recreational flyer follows a CBO's safety guidelines developed with the FAA (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). A search summary of the FAA's CBO page lists the Academy of Model Aeronautics among recognised CBOs and says a flyer need not be a member to fly under a CBO's guidelines (unconfirmed, because the page could not be read). A CBO's own guidelines are association rules, not law. (The law in the United States)

CEPT ERC Recommendation 70-03

The regional spectrum body CEPT's recommendation on short range devices (originally of 6 October 1997, still active). The CEPT/ECC explanatory paper on hobby drones (14 February 2018) says they mostly use 2400 to 2483.5 MHz and 5725 to 5875 MHz under licence-exempt general authorisations, with 25 mW e.i.r.p. at 5725 to 5875 MHz under Annex 1, and that the 5 GHz RLAN bands are not allowed for drones. The latest amendment is reported three ways: the CEPT database gives 9 October 2026, its own amendment list ends at 5 June 2026, and a search summary gave 13 February 2026 (unconfirmed). (Radio rules by country)

Challenger and Masters (FAI World Cup)

The two series of the FAI Drone Racing World Cup under chapter A of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): Challenger events are chosen by the Drone Sport Subcommittee Chairman (at most two per country, more for countries spanning over three time zones) and Masters events by the CIAM Bureau; all are FAI second-category events, and Masters entry may be restricted by a sliding 12-month World Cup ranking. The FAI's 2024 World Cup report says the Masters series began in 2019 and that no Masters event was counted in 2024. (The FAI World Cup)

CIAM (FAI Aeromodelling Commission)

The FAI commission under which drone racing sits, as category F9 Drone Sport. The FAI says its 2014 Plenary created a UAV Working Group, its 2015 Plenary an Organising Committee for International Events for Drones, and its 2016 Plenary approved the racing class and a World Cup and created the FPV Racing and Similar Activities Subcommittee; its 2018 Plenary decided that from 1 January 2019 all drone matters fall under F9 Drone Sport. Under the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), World Cup events are chosen by the Drone Sport Subcommittee Chairman and the CIAM Bureau. (The bodies)

Circuit (F9U)

The course of an F9U race under C.2 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): indoor or outdoor, a defined volume holding a 3D flight path with a start line, obstacles and a finish line, either a closed loop flown for three laps or an open loop flown once, at least 250 m from start to finish along the optimum path. Annex C.1 asks for obstacles to be crossed (air gates, tunnels) with at least 1.5 m of free space and obstacles to be avoided with at least 2.5 m, visible through FPV video at 30 m, and for any route back to the track to lead toward an area without people. This is a racing rule, not law. (How a race works)

Control link

The radio-control link from the pilot's radio to the drone, as racing rules describe it. Under C.1.4 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), any 2.4 GHz spread-spectrum system may be used at F9U events, frequencies and power must comply with the host country's regulations, and organisers may list other authorised equipment such as 868 MHz or 915 MHz modules, whose output must be the lower of 100 mW or the host country's limit; in an emergency the pilot's helper may switch the transmitter off to trigger the fail-safe. MultiGP's Pro Spec page allows any control link. This is a racing rule, not law. (Radios and receivers)

Covered List (FCC, US)

A US Federal Communications Commission list: since 22 December 2025, new foreign-produced drones and drone critical components cannot receive FCC equipment authorisation. The FCC's fact sheet of 7 January 2026 names those components (data transmission devices, communications systems, flight controllers, ground control stations and controllers, navigation systems, sensors and cameras, batteries and battery management systems, and motors), says models authorised before the December 2025 additions can still be imported, sold and used, and says parts that never needed authorisation do not newly need it. The list's state on 30 October 2026 was not confirmed. (The FCC Covered List)

CPSC recall notices (batteries)

Recall notices from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, one of the bases for what this site says about the battery hazard. Recall 08-364 (19 August 2008) covered lithium-polymer batteries sold alone or with radio-controlled helicopter kits, which the CPSC said could overheat and catch fire while charging, with 28 reports and no injuries; recall 25-066 (12 December 2024) covered battery chargers that the CPSC said can ignite or cause a connected battery to ignite. The notices describe hazards only, and this site gives no procedures. A burning or smoking lithium battery is a matter for the fire service, and anyone hurt needs medical care. (Battery fire risk)

CRSF

A radio-to-transmitter protocol that the maker Team BlackSheep's Crossfire manual (file dated 9 August 2022) describes as its own, with telemetry from version 2 (maker's claim). The open-source ExpressLRS project lists CRSF among the receiver output protocols it supports (project's own statement). No official protocol specification was found. (Radios and receivers)

D

Declaration of compliance (US Remote ID)

An FAA-accepted document attesting that a standard Remote ID drone or a broadcast module meets the design and production requirements of 14 CFR Part 89; only producers may submit one. The FAA's talking points of 1 July 2024 say that by June 2024 it had accepted over 300 declarations, and one means of compliance, submitted by ASTM in August 2022. (Remote ID)

DETER Program (US)

The FAA's Drone Expedited and Targeted Enforcement Response Program, announced in a notice on settlement policy for small drone cases (Federal Register document 2026-07585, scheduled for publication on 17 April 2026). The notice says it follows FAA Order 2150.3C, Change 13 (21 January 2026), which requires mandatory enforcement action for drone flights that endanger the public, violate airspace restrictions or further another crime; eligible first-time violators may be offered a reduced civil penalty or certificate suspension for prompt resolution. No amounts are given here. (Enforcement)

Digital video systems

FPV video links that send a digital rather than an analogue picture. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) allows analogue and digital 5.8 GHz video for F9U at no more than 25 mW (C.1.5). MultiGP's Pro Spec page for 2025/26 allows HDZero or analogue video, while its class page says any video transmitter. Makers' claims: DJI said in its press release of 31 July 2019 that its Digital FPV system had 28 ms end-to-end latency on eight 5.8 GHz channels for up to eight drones at once, and Caddx's blog of 24 March 2023 claims an average delay of 22 ms for Walksnail Avatar HD. These latency figures are the makers' own and were not independently checked. (Goggles, analogue and digital)

Direct Remote ID (UK)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority's term for Remote ID broadcast from the drone itself, without an internet connection, receivable nearby over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; the CAA calls Hybrid RID (direct and networked together) its preferred long-term solution. Direct RID applies from 1 January 2026 to UK1, UK2 and UK3 class drones, and to UK5 and UK6 in the Specific category only (the CAA's table gives them as not applicable in the Open category), and from 1 January 2028 to UK0 drones of 100 g or more with a camera, model aircraft such as UK4 unless exempted, and privately built and legacy drones of 100 g or more with a camera. It broadcasts the Operator ID, serial number, position, height, course, the pilot's position and an emergency status, with no personal identifying data. (Remote ID)

Direct remote identification (EU)

The EU's broadcast identification for drones. EASA's publication of 20 December 2023 says that from 1 January 2024 drones marked C1, C2 and C3, and drones flown in the specific category below 120 m, must fly with active, updated remote identification. Spain's AESA lists what it transmits: the operator registration number, the serial number, a timestamp, position and height, track and ground speed, the pilot's position and emergency status. Which classes carry it is reported differently: Germany's dipul page lists C1, C2 and C3, while a search summary attributes C1, C2, C3, C5 and C6 to EASA (unconfirmed; the regulation text could not be read). (Remote ID)

Disqualification (F9U)

The heaviest race penalty under the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary). Grounds listed in C.9.1 include a false start, crossing the safety line, flying after removing the goggles even briefly, celebratory manoeuvres and hazardous piloting; unauthorised switching on of any 5.8 GHz video transmitter at an event can bring disqualification from the event, whether or not it was intentional (C.1.5). These are sporting sanctions, not law. (How a race works)

Drone Champions League (DCL)

A team league run by its own organiser, separate from the Drone Racing League and from the FAI. Its season is a set of Cups, raced largely on its own simulator with some live events, ending in a Super Final that decides what the DCL calls its World Champion; the DCL's season review names Raiden Racing the 2025 champion. The 2026 season was still running on 30 October 2026, and no Eagle Cup winner was found. (Drone Champions League)

Drone Racing League (DRL)

A US professional league founded in 2015 by Nicholas Horbaczewski (Wikipedia, secondary; Arab News says early 2015); Wikipedia and The Ringer (7 September 2018) say it raced league-built identical drones. Its launch is dated two ways: January 2016 (Wikipedia and Arab News) and a first season launching online on 22 February 2016 after an opener filmed in Miami in December 2015 (Fortune, 26 January 2016). Infinite Reality acquired it in April 2024 (The Drone Girl, trade press). Its status on 30 October 2026 is unconfirmed both ways: its last announced event was the Miami Invitational of 1 February 2025, while Wikipedia says it is no longer active and that its assets were auctioned in 2026, from sources this site could not read. (The Drone Racing League)

Drone Sports Association (DSA)

A US race organiser and sanctioning body that, according to the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College (2016), formed in July 2016 after an aborted merger between Rotor Sports and the International Drone Racing Association. Model Aviation says it ran the 2016 US National Drone Racing Championships on Governors Island, New York (5 to 7 August 2016), sanctioned by the AMA, and the DSA announced its Drone Worlds at Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii, for 17 to 22 October 2016 (see First world championship). (The world championship claims)

DVR (digital video recorder)

A recorder for the video a pilot sees. the FAI's Volume F9, 2019 edition (effective 1 May 2019) strongly recommended a DVR for reviewing races, and the FAI's 2024 World Drone Racing Championship Sporting Rules (June 2024) had the organiser provide one. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) strongly recommends recording all races and gives the organiser's recording precedence in disputes (C.1.5). (Video transmitters and cameras)

E

EASA (European Union)

The EU's aviation safety agency, whose pages explain Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read) and the EU class marks; its FPV page (2022) says geographical zones may restrict flying near airports, hospitals, nature reserves, prisons, industrial installations and important buildings. EASA's FAQs say flying with goggles in the open category needs a UA observer beside the pilot (FAQ 116511), that a race with spectators belongs in the specific category, and its FPV topic page (2022) says FPV racing pilots must be at least 16, subject to national exemptions. (The law in the EU)

EdgeTX

Open-source firmware for radio-control transmitters that describes itself on its About page as firmware, not hardware, started on 6 May 2021 as a fork of OpenTX aiming at a more optimised, touch-enabled interface. (Radios and receivers)

e-Drone Racing World Cup (FAI)

An FAI simulator series, separate from the outdoor F9U World Cup and never ranked with it. The FAI says its first season, 2024, had five events and 140 pilots from 40 countries, all flying the same drone model, and was won by Swan Versmissen (France); its 2025 season had seven events raced from home with a game controller. The 2025 champion was not found. (The FAI World Cup)

Electronic speed controller (ESC)

The part that turns flight-controller commands into motor responses, as Hackaday (trade press, 7 June 2024) describes ESC firmware. No regulator or standards body page describing ESCs as equipment was found; MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) sets ESC firmware limits for its Pro Spec class (see BLHeli_32, BLHeli_S and AM32). (Flight controllers and ESCs)

Electronic timing (F9U)

Under C.6.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), F9U races need an electronic timing system with redundancy; manual timekeeping is not allowed and unfinished laps do not count. In qualifying, timing starts when a model passes the gate fitted with the timing sensor; in elimination and final races it starts with the start signal. Separately, MultiGP names RaceSync as its official scoring software (organiser's statement). (How a race works)

Elimination stage (F9U)

The middle stage of an F9U event under C.6.4 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): it takes 64, 32 or 16 qualifiers (Scenarios A, B and C), the top two in each race advance, and ties for second place are split by qualifying rank. Later stages use full race restarts only for listed cases, such as a critical safety incident like an unauthorised person on the track, and one restart per race is allowed for a mid-air collision before the first gate (C.8.2). An optional double-elimination sequence lets pilots placed third and fourth in an elimination race keep racing toward the final; third and fourth in a double-elimination race are out. Under C.6, races have at most four pilots (six in qualifying groups where possible), each race being three laps within a three-minute limit. (How a race works)

Enforcement discretion (US Remote ID)

The FAA's policy, issued on 12 September 2023 and published in the Federal Register on 15 September 2023 (FR Doc. 2023-20074), of exercising enforcement discretion for Remote ID operator noncompliance occurring on or before 16 March 2024, citing broadcast module supply problems and a backlog of FRIA applications. (Remote ID)

E-Sport class (MultiGP)

Virtual racing in the Velocidrone simulator, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) lists it among its classes; MultiGP's home page names Velocidrone its official drone racing simulator (organiser's statement). (MultiGP classes)

EVLOS (Canada)

Extended visual line of sight. Transport Canada's 2025 summary of changes says that from 4 November 2025 EVLOS operations are permitted without an SFOC in uncontrolled airspace, more than 30 m from uninvolved people, with a trained visual observer holding an RPA pilot certificate, within 2 nautical miles of the pilot, observer and control station. Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) lists extended visual line of sight among advanced operations. (The law in Canada)

ExpressLRS

An open-source radio-control link (GPL-3.0) that, in its own README, calls itself designed to be the best FPV racing link (project's own claim); it supports 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and a dual-band link, and the project says it does not manufacture hardware. At F9U events, C.1.4 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) allows any 2.4 GHz spread-spectrum system within the host country's frequency and power rules. This is a racing rule, not law. (Radios and receivers)

F

F3U (FAI, 2015 to 2018)

The FAI's first name for its drone racing class, Radio Control Multi-rotor FPV Racing: the FAI's older drone racing page says the 2015 CIAM Plenary's Organising Committee for International Events for Drones proposed it as a provisional class for electric multirotors with at least three propellers and a maximum flight weight of 1 kg, with a World Cup from 2016. The FAI's 2016 World Cup report says the April 2016 Plenary adopted the F3U World Cup for that year, and that under F3U rules each pilot in a race was accompanied by a judge standing next to or behind them. The FAI's later pages use both F3U and F9U for the class without explaining the change. (The FAI and drone racing)

F9 Drone Sport (FAI category)

The FAI category for drones within its Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM): the FAI's CIAM page (2025 mirror) says the 2018 Plenary decided that from 1 January 2019 all drone matters fall under F9 Drone Sport. Its rule book is Volume F9 of the FAI Sporting Code Section 4, which in the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) holds the Drone Racing World Cup rules (chapter A), F9A Drone Soccer (chapter B) and F9U Drone Racing (chapter C). (The FAI and drone racing)

F9A Drone Soccer (FAI)

A provisional FAI class in the same rule book as drone racing: chapter B of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) sets its rules on the drone ball, a playing field with a protection cage, goal rings, teams, matches and penalties. It is not a racing class. (What FPV drone racing is)

F9U (FAI drone racing class)

The one racing class in the FAI's Volume F9, set out in chapter C of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary); the FAI also runs a separate simulator series, the e-Drone Racing World Cup. The FAI's report of its CIAM Plenary of 12 and 13 April 2024 says F9U is now an official class, with World Championships in even years; the 2025 edition heads chapter C as the official class, though its own article A.1 still calls F9U provisional. Its model limits include 1 kg take-off weight, motor axes inside a 330 mm circle, packs up to 6S at no more than 4.25 V per cell, propellers up to 6 inches with no all-metal propellers, and 5.8 GHz video at no more than 25 mW. MultiGP's classes are a different organiser's rules, not the FAI's, and are never merged with them. This is a racing rule, not law. (The FAI F9U rules)

FAA (United States)

The US aviation authority whose rules for small unmanned aircraft sit in 14 CFR Part 48 (registration), Part 89 (Remote ID) and Part 107, alongside the statute 49 U.S.C. 44809 that Congress passed for recreational flying. Every faa.gov page tried for this site returned an error, so FAA rules here rest on the statute and regulation texts as Cornell Law School publishes them, on the Federal Register, and on FAA documents published elsewhere. (The law in the United States)

FAI Drone Racing World Cup

The FAI's season-long ranking of individual pilots across FAI second-category events, run under chapters A and C of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): points need competitors from at least two countries, and a pilot's total is the best three event results, counting one result per organising country (A.4 and A.5). The FAI says the World Cup began in 2016, when Vincent Delcommene (Belgium) won it, and that none was held in 2020 or 2021; its 2024 report gives Minjae Kim (Korea) as the 2024 winner. The 2025 champion was not found, and the 2026 season was still running on 30 October 2026, so it has no champion yet. MultiGP's race called the World Cup is a different organiser's event, not the FAI's. (The FAI World Cup)

FAI Sporting Licence and FAI Drone Permission

The two FAI credentials that, under A.3 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), let a pilot enter an FAI Drone Racing World Cup event. Under C.1.7, each F9U model carries the pilot's three-letter national identification mark followed by the licence or permission number, readable unaided at arm's length. The FAI's 2016 World Cup report says many first-season participants had no FAI sporting licence and were removed from the World Cup placings. (The FAI World Cup)

FAI (world air sports federation)

The international air sports federation, under whose Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) drone racing sits as F9 Drone Sport, with the F9U class, the Drone Racing World Cup and the World Drone Racing Championship. The copyright conditions of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) say each country's national air law and air traffic rules must be observed and take precedence over sport rules where they apply. FAI rules are racing rules, not law. (The bodies)

Fail-safe

A device that racing and association rules require on racing models; this site reports what the rules require, not what a fail-safe achieves. Under C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), every F9U model must have a fail-safe whose triggering stops the motors, and in an emergency the pilot's helper may switch off the transmitter to trigger it; organisers may check it under C.4. Under section 9.2 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019), racing multirotors need a radio failsafe that stops all motors immediately on signal loss, with no two-stage failsafe allowed. These are racing and association rules, not law. (Race safety rules)

FCC Enforcement Advisory 2018-02 (US)

An FCC Enforcement Bureau advisory (DA 18-581, 5 June 2018) titled to say that drone audio and video transmitter accessories must comply with the FCC's rules. It says such transmitters may not be advertised, sold or used in the US unless FCC-approved or designed only for amateur frequencies, that even amateur-only equipment needs a licensed amateur operator, and it records transmitters seen on 5645 and 5945 MHz, outside the amateur bands. It says violators face civil penalties under the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 503(b)); no amounts are given here. (Radio equipment rules)

FCC (United States)

The US Federal Communications Commission, the US radio regulator. Its Notice FCC 18-71 and Enforcement Advisory 2018-02 (both 5 June 2018) say drone video transmitters are intentional radiators that need FCC equipment authorisation before marketing unless they work only on amateur frequencies, that operating amateur equipment needs an amateur licence under 47 CFR Part 97, and that 47 CFR 97.215(c) limits transmitter power for telecommand of model craft under an amateur licence to 1 watt. Its fact sheet of 7 January 2026 says that since 22 December 2025 its Covered List has blocked new authorisations for foreign-produced drones and critical components; no later FCC statement was read, so the list's state on 30 October 2026 is unconfirmed. This site gives no advice on modifying transmitters. (Radio rules by country)

Final (F9U)

The last stage of an F9U event under C.6.5 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): one race for places 1 to 4, unless the organiser announces successive final races, in which case the first finalist to win two final races wins the event. (How a race works)

First world championship (competing claims)

Three events carry the label, each by a different party's naming. The Conversation (14 February 2016) called Chad Nowak's win at Sacramento in July 2015 the crowning of the first world champion of drone racing, while contemporary reports called that event a US national championship; the Drone Sports Association billed its October 2016 event at Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii, as the first-ever Drone World Championships; and the FAI numbers its Shenzhen event of November 2018 as the 1st FAI World Drone Racing Championship. Of the three, only the FAI's was run by an international air sports federation. (The world championship claims)

First-person view (FPV)

Flying from a live video picture sent from a camera on the aircraft, as each body defines it in its own text. Under the introduction to section C of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), each F9U model is flown by an FPV pilot wearing a headset goggle that shows the live video from the on-board camera. In Australia, CASA's instrument CASA.RPAS.0572 defines first person view technology as operating a model aircraft without direct line of sight, navigating from a live video downlink from a camera fixed to the aircraft. In the US, AMA Document 551 (2014) calls an FPV aircraft a model fitted with a video transmitter sending real-time images to a ground receiver shown on a monitor or goggles. The FAI and AMA wordings are racing and association definitions, not law. (What FPV drone racing is)

Flight controller

The on-board computer that flies the drone from the pilot's commands. Racing rules set what it may do: under C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), pre-programmed manoeuvring devices and automatic positioning or path-correction systems are forbidden on F9U models, while pilot-activated recovery modes such as turtle mode are permitted. Betaflight, one flight-control software, describes itself as free and open source. In the US, the FCC's fact sheet of 7 January 2026 names flight controllers among the drone critical components on its Covered List. The FAI rule is a racing rule, not law. (Flight controllers and ESCs)

Flight line director (MAAA)

The official whom racing pilots follow under section 9.2 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019), alongside individual spotters where they are used; the Event Director and the Flight Line Director brief pilots on site safety rules before racing, and no pilots may be on the field while others are flying. These are association rules, not law. (Race safety rules)

Flyer ID (UK)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority's proof that a person has passed its basic online theory test, which the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) requires to fly a drone or model aircraft of 100 g or more from 1 January 2026. The test has no age limit, children under 13 take it with a parent or guardian, and a Flyer ID lasts five years (three if gained under the previous rules). The threshold is given two ways in the sources: the BMFA's Article 16 page, in a guide marked updated in December 2023, says 250 g, while CAP2320 (March 2026), the later and governing text, sets 100 g. The BMFA's page is an association document, not law. (The law in the UK)

FPV UK

A UK association holding its own UK Civil Aviation Authority Article 16 Operational Authorisation. A trade report (sUAS News, December 2025) says the CAA's 8th-issue authorisation for 2026 lets FPV UK members fly FPV without a competent observer in a sterile area such as a closed race venue, and as close as 30 m to uninvolved people (15 m for take-off and landing), provided they accept the authorisation and the FPV UK Handbook. The association's own conditions are not law; the authorisation is the CAA's. (Association safety codes)

Frame

The airframe that carries the motors, as racing rules measure it. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) caps its Open Class frame at 305 mm motor to motor diagonally, requires a ducted frame of at most 65 mm in its Whoop class and a MultiGP Pro Spec frame or its practice rig in Pro Spec. The FAI's F9U rule measures the motor axes instead, inside a 330 mm circle (C.1.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary)). The Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College (2016) names crash-resistant carbon-fibre frames among the advances behind the racing boom. (Frames and classes)

Freedom Spec (MultiGP)

A MultiGP class for 5-inch drones, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) sets it: any 2207-class motor, at most 6S, a minimum weight of 533 g, propellers set per event, and flight-control firmware with an 18,000 RPM limit. (MultiGP classes)

FRIA (FAA-Recognized Identification Area, US)

A defined US site where, under 14 CFR 89.115(b), a drone without Remote ID may be flown if the aircraft and the person at the controls stay inside it for the whole flight and that person can see the aircraft at all times (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). The FAA's Remote ID final rule (15 January 2021) opened applications from 16 September 2022; the FAA's talking points of 1 July 2024 say only FAA-recognised community-based organisations and educational institutions may request one, that a FRIA gives no airspace authorisation, and that approval lasts 48 calendar months unless renewed. Since the 2024 amendment, 49 U.S.C. 44809(c)(4) tells the FAA to prioritise FRIA requests at approved fixed sites. (Remote ID)

G

Gate (race course)

An obstacle that racing drones fly through, sized differently by each body. Under Annex C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), obstacles to be crossed, such as air gates, must give at least 1.5 m of free space on the optimal path, and small gates are not recommended because of collision risk. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) gives gates by class: Open 5 ft by 5 ft, Whoop 30 in by 30 in, 7-inch 42 sq ft (7 ft by 6 ft) and Mega 12 ft by 12 ft; for Micro the page gives both 1,680 sq in and 40 by 48 in, which do not match, so no single size is given here. MultiGP's track and build guide caps a gate opening at 7 ft wide by 6 ft tall, which differs from the class page's 5 ft by 5 ft for Open. (How a race works)

Geo-awareness (EU)

A function that Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (dipul platform, 2026), summarising Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, lists as required on class C1, C2 and C3 drones but not on C5 or C6; the same page lists an adjustable altitude limit for C0 to C3. EASA's open category page sets the classes' subcategories. The regulation itself could not be read for this site. (Class marks, EU and UK)

Global Qualifier (MultiGP)

MultiGP's worldwide qualifying series for its annual Championship: MultiGP's home page says its chapters can organise Global Qualifiers in their regions, and its championship page says the top 64 on the Global Qualifier leaderboard were among the first pilots invited to the 2026 Championship. Wikipedia (secondary) says the Global Qualifier has been open to any FPV pilot worldwide since 2018, with more than 150 events a year. (MultiGP championships)

Goggles (FPV goggles)

The headset an FPV pilot wears to see the live picture from the drone's camera. Racing rule: under C.1.5 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), an F9U competitor's own video receiver and antenna must be mounted on the goggles no more than 160 mm above the antenna connector, and flying after removing the goggles, even briefly, is a ground for disqualification (C.9.1). The law handles goggles separately in each jurisdiction. United Kingdom: the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) says video goggles do not count as direct sight, so an FPV flyer needs an observer. European Union: EASA's FAQ 140038 says goggles do not give visual line of sight because of their narrow field of view. Canada: Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) (section 3.2.26) says visual observers must be used with an FPV system that reduces the pilot's field of view. The FAI rule is a racing rule, not law. (Goggles, analogue and digital)

H

HDZero and Shark Byte

Names in the history of digital FPV video, as a trade reviewer and trade press tell it. Oscar Liang (trade reviewer, first published April 2022) says the HDZero system was developed by Divimath, marketed by Fat Shark as Shark Byte, and sold directly under the HDZero name from around the end of 2021; DroneLife (30 December 2021) puts Shark Byte's launch around late 2020 and says Fat Shark announced in late 2021 that it would end support for most Shark Byte parts. These are trade accounts, not makers' claims checked by this site. (Equipment history)

Helper (F9U)

The person who, under the introduction to section C of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), stays beside each FPV pilot for the whole flight: exactly one helper per pilot, mandatory, and possibly another competitor. The helper's main task is to keep the model in visual line of sight and tell the pilot about anything affecting the flight, especially safety; if the helper asks the pilot to land or cut the motors the pilot must do so at once, and in an emergency the helper may switch off the transmitter to trigger the fail-safe. Under the earlier F3U rules, the FAI's 2016 report says, each pilot was accompanied by a judge. This is a racing rule, not law. (Flying with goggles and observers)

Home-built unmanned aircraft (US)

A US term in 14 CFR 89.1, as a third-party copy of the codified text gives it: an unmanned aircraft an individual built solely for education or recreation. The FAA's Remote ID final rule preamble (15 January 2021) says the term replaced the proposed amateur-built, dropped a proposed 50 percent fabrication test, and that home-built aircraft remain subject to the Remote ID operating rules (a broadcast module or a FRIA), while a hobbyist who puts a kit together is not subject to the production rules. The same copy of 89.501(c) exempts home-built aircraft from the design and production requirements. (Remote ID)

I

IATA lithium battery guidance (2026)

IATA's passenger guidance, Passengers Travelling with Lithium Batteries (31 March 2026), based on the 2025-2026 ICAO Technical Instructions and the 67th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. It requires spare batteries to be individually protected against short circuit and carried in carry-on baggage only, sets watt-hour bands at 100 Wh and 160 Wh, requires every battery carried to be of a type meeting UN 38.3, and says it is guidance only, not a source of regulatory compliance. IATA's operator guidance on power banks says the 68th edition, in force from 1 January 2027, will contain the ICAO addendum's changes. (Flying with batteries)

ICAO addendum on power banks (27 March 2026)

An addendum to the ICAO Technical Instructions issued and effective on 27 March 2026, which, as IATA's operator guidance describes it, separates power banks from spare batteries, limits passengers and crew to two power banks for personal use and bars recharging power banks in flight. The UK Civil Aviation Authority's dangerous goods page says UK changes effective 27 March 2026 follow it: power banks carry-on only, individually protected, at most two per person, not recharged on board and meeting UN 38.3. (Flying with batteries)

Insurance (UK and EU)

Insurance rules as each authority states them, one jurisdiction at a time and with no amounts. United Kingdom: the UK Civil Aviation Authority says anyone flying a drone or model aircraft for any commercial reason must have third-party insurance as a minimum, complying with Assimilated Regulation (EU) 785/2004, while insurance is optional for recreation, sport or hobby flying; the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) says that, for flyers covered by the Code, it is always required at 20 kg or more. European Union: EASA's FAQ says operators must always be insured for drones above a certain weight, citing Article 14(2)(d) of Regulation (EU) 2019/947, and that most member states also require third-party insurance for lighter drones, so national rules apply. (Insurance)

International Open (MultiGP)

A MultiGP event held at the Academy of Model Aeronautics headquarters in Muncie, Indiana; the AMA's blog of 1 June 2026 announced the 2026 event for 10 to 14 June 2026, with about 200 pilots from 13 countries and eight tracks, its World Cup Finals on the Saturday evening. MultiGP calls the event's main race the MultiGP Drone Racing World Cup: it is MultiGP's own race, not the FAI Drone Racing World Cup. MultiGP's 2024 recap gives Killian Rousseau (France) as the 2024 MultiGP World Cup winner. (MultiGP championships)

Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft (US, 2014)

An FAA interpretation (Docket FAA-2014-0396, 79 FR 36172, published 25 June 2014, effective 23 June 2014) of the US section 336 special rule. The FAA said visual line of sight means an unobstructed view and that the statute would preclude vision-enhancing devices, naming goggles designed to provide a first-person view, and noted that at least one community-based organisation allowed FPV with goggles. Section 336 was later replaced by 49 U.S.C. 44809. (US rules history)

ISED (Canada)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the Canadian radio regulator. Its RSS-Gen, Issue 6 (30 July 2026, with Amendment 1 of 15 September 2026), section 3.5, says all radio apparatus, receivers included, need a radio licence under section 4(1) of the Radiocommunication Act unless exempted under section 15 of the Radiocommunication Regulations. No ISED page specific to FPV video transmitters was found. Transport Canada's aviation guidance (Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026)) describes 2.4 GHz as licence-free and crowded, but that is not a radio regulation. (Radio rules by country)

K

Khan and Brown study (Cureus, 2021)

A study of drone injuries among children in NEISS emergency-department data, 2010 to 2019, ages 0 to 18: from 3,230 toy-vehicle records the authors found 26 drone-related cases and made no national estimate. Head and face injuries were 58 percent (15 of 26) and lacerations the most common diagnosis at 42 percent (11 of 26); the study separates direct impact by the drone (65 percent) from indirect injuries (35 percent) but not propeller contact from other impacts, and its authors call the sample small. Its figures are never added to other studies'. Any injury needs medical care. (Propeller injuries research)

KV and motor size numbers (MultiGP)

Motor ratings that MultiGP uses in its class limits, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) states them: Micro 1404 motors at 4500 to 4600 KV, Freedom Spec any 2207-class motor, Pro Spec motors no larger in stator volume than a 2808, and Whoop motors of any size (0702 or 0802 recommended). No regulator or standards-body definition of KV or of the four-digit size numbers was found, so this site gives none. Under C.1.2 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), F9U allows electric motors only, each tilted at most 15 degrees in each direction from the reference plane. (Motors and propellers)

L

LED light unit (F9U)

Lights on a racing model that let spectators and officials tell drones apart. Under C.1.6 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), an organiser may require an LED unit of at least 32 RGB LEDs or 280 mm of RGB strip, each model showing a different colour (blue, green, red, yellow, cyan or magenta) allocated by the competitors' order in the race. the FAI's 2024 World Drone Racing Championship Sporting Rules (June 2024) required one on each model, while the FAI's Volume F9, 2019 edition (effective 1 May 2019) listed it as optional. This is a racing rule, not law. (The FAI F9U rules)

LiPo (lithium-polymer) battery

The battery type named in hobby recall notices: the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall 08-364 (19 August 2008) covered lithium-polymer batteries for radio-controlled helicopters, which it said could overheat and catch fire while charging. A 2023 UL fact sheet on lithium-ion batteries, hosted by the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety, says such batteries can overheat, catch fire and explode, most commonly when damaged, electro-chemically abused, exposed to high or low temperatures or affected by an internal short circuit, and calls thermal runaway the primary driver of their risk. No fire-service or standards page specific to drone LiPo batteries was found, and no standard defining cell-count or C-rating terms was found. IATA's passenger guidance of 31 March 2026 defines lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries and does not name lithium polymer. This site describes the hazard only, with no procedures. A burning or smoking lithium battery is a matter for the fire service, and anyone hurt needs medical care. (Battery fire risk)

Lithium-ion battery and spare battery (IATA terms)

Definitions in IATA's passenger guidance of 31 March 2026: a lithium-ion battery is a secondary (rechargeable) battery in which lithium is present only in ionic form in the electrolyte; a spare battery is a single-cell or multi-cell battery designed to be inserted into or affixed to a specific device; power banks are no longer called spare batteries in the 2026 guidance. The watt-hour rating is capacity in ampere-hours multiplied by nominal voltage, must be marked on the case, and an operator may refuse carriage if staff cannot verify it. (Flying with batteries)

M

MAAA (Model Aeronautical Association of Australia)

Australia's model-aircraft association. In its FPV policy the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019) it describes itself as recognised by CASA as a Recreational Aviation Administration Organisation administering model aircraft under CASR Part 101 (the association's own statement), and sets Wings proficiency standards, among them Silver Wings for FPV pilots in command of models over 2 kg or above 100 ft. CASA's instrument CASA.RPAS.0572 approves FPV for MAAA affiliate members and listed visitor classes at registered MAAA club flying fields and CASA-approved MAAA events, from 1 September 2022 to the end of August 2027. Its policies are association rules, not law. (The bodies)

MAAC (Model Aeronautics Association of Canada)

Canada's model-aircraft association. Transport Canada's exemption NCR-011-2019 (signed 17 May 2019, effective 1 June 2019) exempts MAAC and its members in good standing from CARs Part IX for aircraft of 250 g to 35 kg flown under MAAC safety guidelines, on conditions including visual line of sight by the pilot or a visual observer; it does not mention FPV. The impact statement of Canada's 2019 regulations (SOR/2019-11) had said MAAC members at MAAC fields or sanctioned events would receive an exemption. Whether the exemption is still in force on 30 October 2026 is unconfirmed, because the page read was on Transport Canada's legacy site with no status statement, and MAAC's own safety code could not be read. MAAC's guidelines are association rules, not law. (The bodies)

Mega Class (MultiGP)

A MultiGP class for large racing drones. MultiGP added a Mega Class safety section to its 2019 rules for drones of 800 to 1050 mm, which it said carried added risk, with a greater distance between track and pilot line, track design rules and course access control; its current class page lists a 12 ft by 12 ft Mega gate without a Mega Class specification. These are an organiser's rules, not law. (MultiGP classes)

Micro (MultiGP class)

A MultiGP class, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) sets it: 1404 motors at 4500 to 4600 KV, 3.1-inch propellers, up to 3S at 4.35 V per cell, and no frame or weight limit. For its gate the page gives both 1,680 sq in and 40 by 48 in, which do not match, so no single size is given here. (MultiGP classes)

Micro-RPA (Canada)

Transport Canada's term for a remotely piloted aircraft under 250 g. As Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) describes it, micro-RPAs are outside CARs Part IX Subpart 1 (registration, marking and pilot certificates), but section 900.06 on reckless or negligent operation applies; since 1 April 2025, sections 900.07 and 900.08 on restricted airspace and emergency security perimeters apply to them too, and paragraph 903.01(b) requires a Special Flight Operations Certificate to fly one at an advertised event. (The law in Canada)

MOP066 (MAAA FPV policy)

The MAAA's First Person View (FPV) and Self Guided Model Aircraft Policy, version D (19 August 2019), which applies only to MAAA affiliate members flying at MAAA clubs and affiliated sites. It defines FPV racing as racing small (under 25 kg) aircraft around a defined course with other FPV aircraft, or flying a freestyle routine; section 8 (models under 2 kg or below 100 ft) has FPV flown by two members, with an observer who can take over at once and is solely responsible for the flight; section 9 sets racing rules, including a recommended 30 m exclusion zone, flying below 100 m, a 30 m buffer from spectators, no Return to Home, and no carbon-fibre or metal propellers. CASA's instrument CASA.RPAS.0572 refers to it, but MOP066 itself is an association policy, not law. (Association safety codes)

MultiGP

A US drone racing organiser and league with local chapters, which sanctions races under its own Rule Book (not read for this site) and class specifications. Its founding is given two ways: February 2015 (Wikipedia, secondary) and early 2015 (founder Chris Thomas's own account). On 24 November 2015 the AMA named MultiGP, also known as Multirotor Grand Prix, an official Special Interest Group for FPV racing. Its size is given two ways as well: its home page claims over 30,000 registered pilots and 500 active chapters worldwide (read 30 October 2026), while Wikipedia gives over 38,539 members and 385 chapters from figures retrieved on 1 July 2024. MultiGP's rules are an organiser's, never the FAI's, and never law. (The bodies)

MultiGP Championship

MultiGP's own top annual title, whose winner MultiGP calls a World Champion; it is MultiGP's title, not the FAI's World Drone Racing Championship. The 2026 Championship was held from 15 to 17 October 2026 in Carrollton, Texas, and MultiGP's championship page calls it the world's premier event in Open-class drone racing. A MultiGP news headline of 18 October 2026 says MCK won the 2026 Championship (MultiGP's earlier results pair the handle MCK FPV with Minchan Kim); the article and full standings were not read, so this rests on a single organiser headline and is unconfirmed. (MultiGP championships)

MultiGP European Championship

A MultiGP event, not the FAI's, and not an FAI continental championship. Its second edition was held from 11 to 13 September 2026 at Aichtal, Germany, in MultiGP's Open Class, per MultiGP's event page; the teaser of a MultiGP recap gives the winner as Minjae, a single organiser source that is unconfirmed here. No FAI continental drone racing championship was found for 2024 to 2026. (MultiGP championships)

Multi-rotor (FAI definition)

In the introduction to section C of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), a rotary-wing radio-controlled model aircraft with at least three power-driven propeller devices, which the FAI's rules call a model; the FAI defines drone racing as several multi-rotor models flying together through a closed racing circuit. (What FPV drone racing is)

N

NEISS (US emergency-department data)

The US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, run by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which draws on emergency-department data from about 100 hospitals chosen as a probability sample of more than 5,000 US hospitals with emergency departments, according to the University of Florida publication AE560. It has no drone-specific product code: researchers find drone cases by searching narratives in code 5021, toy vehicles (excluding riding toys). Its counts are emergency-department visits, never a risk per pilot, and each study's figures stand alone. Any injury needs medical care. (Propeller injuries research)

NPA 2026-005 (Canada Remote ID proposal)

Transport Canada's Notice of Proposed Amendment on Remote ID: on 30 October 2026 Canadian Remote ID was at the proposal stage only, and no final rule was found. Transport Canada's summary of its information sessions (last modified 14 August 2026) says it would require Remote ID by weight for drones from 250 g up to and including 150 kg, explicitly including FPV drones and model aircraft, with legacy and home-built drones complying by retrofitting a device such as a broadcast module; microdrones under 250 g would be exempt unless payload or a heavier battery brings their operating weight to 250 g or more, and Transport Canada anticipates full implementation for pilots in 2030. (Remote ID)

NTSB investigation DCA17IA202

The US National Transportation Safety Board's investigation of the collision on 21 September 2017 between a privately owned small unmanned aircraft and a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter near Staten Island, New York. The NTSB found the probable cause was the drone pilot's failure to see and avoid the helicopter because of his intentional flight beyond visual line of sight, with his incomplete knowledge of regulations and operating practices as a contributing factor; the helicopter had minor damage, the drone was destroyed and no one was injured. Any injury needs medical care. (Incidents and near misses)

O

Observer (UK)

A person who, under the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026), stands next to the pilot so that the two can talk at all times, with one of them keeping the aircraft in direct sight and a full view of the surrounding airspace; the observer needs no Flyer ID but must be told what to look for, and the pilot stays responsible. The Code says video goggles are not direct sight and that anyone flying by first-person view must have an observer; the CAA's FPV page gives reduced depth perception and peripheral vision as the reason. Association authorisations can vary this for members (see Article 16 authorisation (UK)). (Flying with goggles and observers)

Open Class (MultiGP)

A MultiGP class, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) sets it: a frame of at most 305 mm motor to motor diagonally, no limits on electronics, firmware, motors or propellers, cells charged to at most 4.35 V, and an 800 g all-up weight maximum. MultiGP's championship page calls its Championship the world's premier event in Open-class drone racing. Open Class is MultiGP's own rule set, separate from the FAI's F9U class. (MultiGP classes)

Open, Specific and Certified categories (EU)

The EU's three categories of drone operation under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read). Under Article 4(1), an operation is in the open category only if the drone has a class mark, is privately built or meets Article 20; has a maximum take-off mass under 25 kg; is kept away from people and not flown over assemblies of people; stays in visual line of sight except in follow-me mode or with a UA observer; stays within 120 m of the surface; and carries no dangerous goods and drops nothing. Other operations fall in the specific category (an authorisation from the national aviation authority or a standard scenario declaration) or the certified category; EASA's FAQ 140038 says FPV races with spectators belong in the specific category. (The law in the EU)

Open, Specific and Certified categories (UK)

The UK's three categories of drone operation as the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) describes them: Open (low risk), Specific (moderate risk) and Certified (high risk). The Open category has three subcategories, A1, A2 and A3; flying at 25 kg or more, or outside the Code, needs a UK Civil Aviation Authority authorisation. (The law in the UK)

Operator ID (UK)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority registration that, under the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026), whoever owns or is responsible for a drone or model aircraft of 250 g or more, or of 100 g or more with a camera, must hold; it is optional from 100 g to under 250 g without a camera. An operator must be 18 or over (a parent or guardian registers for an under-18 owner), the Operator ID is renewed every year, and it, not the Flyer ID, is labelled on every aircraft in block capitals taller than 3 mm. The CAA's Remote ID page says the Remote ID number is similar to, but not the same as, the Operator ID. (The law in the UK)

Origins of drone racing (accounts)

Where drone racing began is told four ways. Wikipedia (secondary) says it began in 2011 in Germany, with semi-organised races in Karlsruhe, while its own infobox gives Australia; the Drone Racing League's chief executive, quoted by Fortune in August 2016, recalled material appearing from Australia around 2012; the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College (2016) places the first visible scenes around 2014, in France, California and Australia; and Fortune itself said the origins were unclear. Of the sources read for this site, none records one: there is no documented first race. (Origins of FPV flying)

P

Part 107 (US)

The FAA's rules for small unmanned aircraft, 14 CFR Part 107 (final rule published 28 June 2016, effective 29 August 2016), which, as a search summary of FAA pages puts it, cover US flights that do not meet the recreational exception in 49 U.S.C. 44809 (unconfirmed wording). Under 107.31, the remote pilot in command, the person at the controls and any visual observer must be able to see the aircraft without visual aids other than corrective lenses; under 107.33, a visual observer and the pilot keep effective communication at all times; 107.31, 107.33, 107.35, 107.39, 107.41 and 107.51 can be waived under 107.205 (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). Under 107.39, no one may fly over a person unless that person is directly participating, is under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle, or the flight meets a subpart D category; under 107.61, a remote pilot certificate applicant must be at least 16. The 2016 rule's preamble says a first-person-view camera cannot satisfy the see-and-avoid requirement but may be used if it is met in other ways. (The law in the United States)

Part 89 and Remote ID (US)

The US Remote ID rule, 14 CFR Part 89, which the FAA published as a final rule in the Federal Register on 15 January 2021 (86 FR 4390). Its effective date is given two ways: 16 March 2021 in the Federal Register text, and 21 April 2021 in trade press seen only as a search summary (unconfirmed). Under 89.105, from 16 September 2023 no one may fly an unmanned aircraft in US airspace unless it is a standard Remote ID aircraft (89.110) or meets 89.115, by a broadcast module or by staying inside a FRIA, except as the FAA authorises (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read); producers had to comply from 16 September 2022. The FAA's talking points of 1 July 2024 say the rule covers every drone registered or required to be registered, including all Part 107 drones and recreational drones over 0.55 lb, that Remote ID broadcasts no name or address, and that drone racing organisations may request authorisation to deviate from the operating rules. The FAA used enforcement discretion until 16 March 2024. (Remote ID)

Pit mode (F9U)

A function every F9U model must have under C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): its triggering cuts the video transmitter's power. Under C.7.3, after a crash the pilot leaves the model on the ground with motors off, switches on pit mode and removes the goggles to show they are out of the race. This is a racing rule, not law. (The FAI F9U rules)

Privately built drone (EU)

A drone built for the builder's own use, which EASA's open category page says excludes ready-to-assemble kits; Spain's AESA adds that assembly from separately sold parts counts, and that the builder is not a manufacturer under Regulation (EU) 2019/945. EASA says a privately built drone without a class label may fly in A1 if under 250 g, with no training and no minimum age, or in A3 if under 25 kg, with registration, online training and a minimum age of 16. (Class marks, EU and UK)

Pro Spec (MultiGP)

MultiGP's 7-inch spec class, as MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) and its Pro Spec page set it: a MultiGP Pro Spec frame or its practice rig with original arms only and LEDs; motors no larger in stator volume than a 2808; a 6S pack of 2200 mAh or less; 1200 g all-up weight; and propellers set per event. For video, the class page says any video transmitter while the Pro Spec page for 2025/26 says HDZero or analogue (HDZero being a maker's system that MultiGP names; no maker claim is checked here). MultiGP says every Pro Spec race in the 2025/26 season adds to a points leaderboard deciding invitations to its 2026 Pro Spec Championship. (MultiGP classes)

Propeller guards and ducts

Rings or ducts around propellers, which racing rules have handled in opposite ways; this site reports them only as rules and recommendations. the FAI's Volume F9, 2019 edition (effective 1 May 2019) forbade any propeller protection device (C.1.3); the change log in the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) records that this ban was removed in changes effective 1 January 2020, the same changes that limited each cell to 4.25 V, the FAI stating that there was no safety reason to prohibit such a device. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) requires a ducted frame for its Whoop class. The University of Florida publication AE560 recommends propeller guards as its authors' suggestion, not a measured result, and a 2021 case report of a racing-drone pilot's eye injury (Crahay and others, BMJ Case Reports) suggests protective eyewear, also untested. Any injury needs medical care. (Propeller injuries research)

Propeller (racing rules)

Each body's propeller rule, kept separate. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) limits F9U propellers to 6 inches (15.2 cm) and forbids all-metal propellers (C.1.3). MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) allows Whoop propellers up to 31 mm and 3.1-inch propellers in Micro, with Pro Spec and Freedom Spec propellers set per event. Section 9.6 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019) bars carbon-fibre and metal propellers in racing. These are racing and association rules, not law. On a class-marked EU drone, Spain's AESA says replacing a part with one of the same characteristics, a propeller of the same design for example, does not breach the CE marking requirements, while changes taking weight or performance outside the manufacturer's specifications do. (Motors and propellers)

Q

Qualification (F9U)

The first stage of an F9U event under C.6.3 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary): at least three qualifying rounds, with groups set by blind draw and no draw used for more than three rounds. The organiser announces one of two methods a month ahead: the fastest time for three consecutive laps, or the average of a pilot's three fastest valid single laps across all rounds. Individual reflights are possible only in qualifying, for incidents outside the pilot's control (C.8.1). (How a race works)

R

Raceband

A set of eight 5.8 GHz video channels that the FAI's 2024 World Drone Racing Championship Sporting Rules (June 2024) expected racers to use: 5658, 5695, 5732, 5769, 5806, 5843, 5880 and 5917 MHz, with any video transmitter at no more than 25 mW, centred on a Raceband frequency with at most 30 MHz bandwidth, and digital video set to at most 25 Mbps. the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) requires output centred on designated frequencies with a 30 MHz maximum bandwidth (C.1.5). This is a racing rule, not law. (Video transmitters and cameras)

RacerX and the DRL Racer series

Drones the Drone Racing League built itself so that every pilot raced identical aircraft: The Ringer (7 September 2018) says Racer3 was used in Season 2, Racer3S in Season 3 and Racer4 was in development, while Wikipedia (secondary) gives Racer2 in 2016, Racer3 in 2017 and 2018 and Racer4 from 2019. The RacerX, built mainly by Ryan Gury and DRL engineers, set the Guinness World Records mark for fastest ground speed by a battery-powered remote-controlled quadcopter at 163.5 mph, an average of passes over a 100 m course, announced on 20 July 2017; The Ringer reports a top pace of almost 180 mph, and Wikipedia calls it a former record holder. (Drone Racing League history)

RaceSync

Software that MultiGP's home page names as its official scoring software (organiser's statement). Wikipedia (secondary) describes it as a web app that assigns racing slots and video frequencies, with pilots checking in on smartphones. (MultiGP classes)

Registration (US)

Under 14 CFR 48.15 (as amended on 15 January 2021), no one may fly a small unmanned aircraft unless the owner has registered and marked it with the FAA, it is flown only under 49 U.S.C. 44809 and weighs 0.55 lb or less at take-off, or it belongs to the armed forces. Under 48.25(b) (2019 edition), an owner under 13 has the aircraft registered by someone at least 13. 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(8) requires recreational flyers to have proof of registration available to the FAA or law enforcement on request (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). (The law in the United States)

Regulation (EU) 2019/945

The EU's Delegated Regulation on drone products, under which the class marks C0 to C6 are set. Its text could not be read for this site; class limits here come from Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (dipul platform) and Spain's AESA. AESA says conformity is assessed under modules A (internal production control), B plus C, and H, with only C0, C4, C5 and C6 allowed to use internal production control, and that EASA chose EN ISO/IEC 17065 as the reference standard for notified bodies. (Class marks, EU and UK)

Regulation (EU) 2019/947

The European Commission's Implementing Regulation of 24 May 2019 on drone operations, which sets the open, specific and certified categories, operator registration, pilot ages and club authorisations. It was read for this site as adopted, on legislation.gov.uk, because the consolidated EUR-Lex text returned nothing, so later amendments are not reflected. EASA's FAQ 116446 says it applies from 31 December 2020 (delayed from 1 July 2020 because of COVID-19), with full open-category compliance required from January 2023. (The law in the EU)

Remote ID (Australia)

Consultation only, as far as the research found: search summaries of Australian Government pages, which timed out, say it ran a public consultation on a Remote ID discussion paper as a first stage toward possible requirements. No final rule or start date was found on an official page, so any date is unconfirmed. (Remote ID)

Return to Home (MAAA)

An automatic flight-home function that section 9.2 of the MAAA's FPV policy MOP066 (version D, 19 August 2019) bans on racing aircraft, citing extra safety concerns on smaller tracks. Separately, C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) forbids automatic positioning or path-correction systems on F9U models. These are association and racing rules, not law. (Race safety rules)

S

Safety line

A boundary that racing and association rules require between flying and people. Under Annex C.1 of the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary), the F9U flight zone is bounded by an unmistakable physical safety line that no one may cross without an official's authorisation; nobody without suitable equipment (the rule names nets, cages and protective suits) may be in the flight area while a model flies; competitor, official and spectator areas must be secured with nets, fences or transparent walls; and the organiser prepares basic emergency procedures for inside the line. Crossing it is a ground for disqualification (C.9.1). The AMA's National Model Aircraft Safety Code (effective 1 January 2018) separately asks members to use an established safety line between flying and spectators. These are racing and association rules, not law. (Race safety rules)

Section 336 (US special rule for model aircraft)

A US statutory rule in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-95), signed on 14 February 2012, which, as the FAA quoted it in 2014, defined a model aircraft as one capable of sustained flight, flown within visual line of sight of the operator and flown for hobby or recreation. Congress repealed it in section 349 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, signed on 5 October 2018, and replaced it with the exception for limited recreational operations now at 49 U.S.C. 44809; the FAA's notice of 17 May 2019 says the regulations that had implemented the old rule were no longer valid. (US rules history)

SFOC-RPAS (Canada)

A Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada for operations outside the standard rules. Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) says one is needed to fly less than 100 ft from the boundaries of an advertised event (CARs 901.41 and 903.01(b)), and Transport Canada's 2025 summary of changes says that from 1 April 2025 microdrones flown at advertised events need one too. Under the Remote ID proposal NPA 2026-005 (proposal stage only; no final rule was found), pilots could apply for one to operate without Remote ID. (The law in Canada)

Simulator

Software for flying a virtual drone, as bodies describe its use. AMA Document 550 (updated 3 March 2021) recommends that novice FPV pilots consider a cockpit-view flight simulator (an association recommendation, not law); MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) lists an E-Sport class raced in the Velocidrone simulator; The Ringer (7 September 2018) says the Drone Racing League released its simulator on Steam in June 2017 and held an annual tryout in it; and the FAI's e-Drone Racing World Cup has pilots race from home in a simulator with a game controller. (Simulators and practice gear)

Spotter (AMA)

The Academy of Model Aeronautics' term for the person beside an FPV pilot. AMA Document 550 (updated 3 March 2021) defines an AMA FPV spotter or visual observer as an experienced AMA RC pilot, briefed by the FPV pilot and capable and mature enough for the duties, and requires one next to the pilot on every FPV flight, keeping the aircraft in visual line of sight, telling the pilot when it is leaving visual line of sight, warning of approaching aircraft and ready to take the transmitter. The AMA's FPV racing recommendations of 16 June 2016 required each racing pilot to have a spotter; that document may since have been superseded. These are association rules, not law. (Flying with goggles and observers)

Standard scenarios STS-01 and STS-02 (EU)

Declared operating scenarios in the EU's specific category. EASA's FAQ 140038 (updated 25 June 2024) says FPV is permitted under STS-02 with an airspace observer and a UA observer (one person may fill both roles if qualified for each), but is not currently possible under STS-01, where the pilot must keep visual line of sight. Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (dipul platform) links class C5 to STS-01 and class C6 to STS-02, from 1 January 2024. (The law in the EU)

Sterile area (UK association racing)

A cordoned-off closed area from which uninvolved people are excluded, in which UK associations' Article 16 authorisations let FPV racing take place. Section 3.1 of the BMFA's guide to its authorisation (updated 21 December 2021) caps racing there at up to 50 m (160 ft) above the surface, under event procedures and the race director's directions, including a terminate-race-and-land call; observers are briefed to watch for people or aircraft entering, and individual racing pilots need no competent observer of their own. A trade report (sUAS News, December 2025) says FPV UK's 2026 authorisation also allows FPV without a competent observer in a sterile area. The authorisations are the UK Civil Aviation Authority's; the associations' conditions are not law. (Race safety rules)

T

Taylor v. Huerta (US, 2017)

A US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit case, No. 15-1495, argued on 14 March 2017 and decided on 19 May 2017 in an opinion by Judge Kavanaugh, which held that the FAA's 2015 registration rule, as applied to model aircraft, directly violated section 336's bar on new rules for model aircraft, and vacated it to that extent. A law-firm alert of 18 December 2017 says Congress restored the registration requirements for hobbyist drones in section 1092(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, signed that month. (US rules history)

TEKNOFEST World Drone Cup (Turkiye)

A race run within the TEKNOFEST technology competitions in Turkiye, for which pilots must complete every stage of the TEKNOFEST Drone Championship; the organiser's page does not mention the FAI, and its title is not an FAI title. TEKNOFEST lists Yuki Hashimoto as the 2024 winner and Minjae Kim as the 2025 winner. It is separate from the FAI World Cup round held in Istanbul. (Other international races)

The World Games (drone racing)

The IWGA's multi-sport games, where drone racing has run under the FAI. It first appeared in 2022 at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama, where Killian Rousseau (France) won; at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, drone racing ran from 13 to 16 August 2025 and the FAI gives Yuki Hashimoto (Japan) gold, Chun Yan Kwan (Hong Kong, China) silver and MinJae Kim (Korea) bronze. Drone racing is not on the confirmed programme for The World Games 2029 in Karlsruhe, which the IWGA published on 3 September 2026 with skydiving as Air Sport's only discipline. (The World Games)

Thermal runaway

The self-heating in a lithium-ion cell that a 2023 UL fact sheet, hosted by the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety, calls the primary driver of lithium-ion battery risk: it decomposes the cell into smoke and flammable and toxic gases, can spread to other cells, often ignites a fire immediately, and where ignition is delayed a build-up of gases can cause an explosion. The UL fact sheet says a person could have less than a minute to escape from the first sign of a problem. This site describes the hazard only. A burning or smoking lithium battery is a matter for the fire service, and anyone hurt needs medical care. (Battery fire risk)

Tiny Whoop and the Whoop class

Tiny Whoop is a hobby name that no aviation authority or standards body read for this site defines; MultiGP's Whoop class is the nearest published rule. MultiGP's Race Class Specifications page (read 30 October 2026; MultiGP's Rule Book was not read) sets it as a ducted frame of at most 65 mm, brushed or brushless motors of any size, propellers of at most 31 mm, a 1S battery charged to at most 4.35 V, no weight limit and a 30 in by 30 in gate. Model Aviation (December 2017) traces the Tiny Whoop to micro drones flown by a group of racers. The FAI's 2025 World Cup page (2025 mirror) says a planned January 2025 World Cup round in Lithuania was removed because it planned Tiny Whoop models that do not meet F9U rules. (Tiny whoop guide)

Transport Canada

Canada's aviation authority. Its Aeronautical Information Manual RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) is guidance; the law is the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) Part IX, which the AIM says applies whatever the purpose of the flight. The Part IX rules for drones of 250 g to 25 kg were published in the Canada Gazette on 9 January 2019 (SOR/2019-11), and their main operating provisions came into force on 1 June 2019. (The law in Canada)

TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test, US)

The FAA's name for the aeronautical knowledge and safety test that 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(7) and (g) require of US recreational flyers, who must keep proof of passing and show it to the FAA or law enforcement on request (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). The TRUST name comes from an FAA FAQ title seen only in a search summary (unconfirmed wording). Trade press (DroneXL, 22 June 2021) dates the test's launch to 22 June 2021, when the FAA announced its first approved test administrators; reports differ on how many. (The law in the United States)

U

UK0 to UK6 (UK class marks)

The UK's own class marks. the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026) says new drones and model aircraft placed on the UK market from 1 January 2026 must carry one, while legacy models can still be sold and flown under the weight-based rules, and that a drone with an EU C class mark may be flown as the matching UK class until 31 December 2027 (C1 as UK1, for example). The UK Civil Aviation Authority's Remote ID page says UK4 is used for model aircraft, and the Code says every UK1, UK2 and UK3 aircraft has a Remote ID function that the operator must set with their Remote ID and switch on from 1 January 2026. (Class marks, EU and UK)

UN 38.3

Subsection 38.3 of Part III of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. IATA's passenger guidance of 31 March 2026 says every battery carried by passengers or shipped as cargo on a passenger aircraft must be of a type that meets it; IATA's operator guidance on power banks notes it is a transport test, not a consumer product safety standard. The UK Civil Aviation Authority's dangerous goods page says power banks must meet it. (Flying with batteries)

V

Video transmitter (VTX)

The on-board transmitter that sends the camera's picture to the pilot's goggles. United States: the FCC's Notice FCC 18-71 (June 2018) describes such audio and video transmitters as mounted on drones and used in drone racing, and says they are intentional radiators that need certification before marketing unless designed only for amateur bands. Racing: the FAI's Sporting Code Volume F9 Drone Sport, 2025 edition (effective 1 May 2025; the 2026 edition was not read, and its start date is unconfirmed: 1 January 2026 per a search summary of its cover, 1 June 2026 per a Prism News trade article seen only as a search summary) caps F9U video transmitters at 25 mW on the ground and in the air, forbids pre-programmed video-power increases and requires a pit mode that cuts the transmitter's power (C.1 and C.1.5), and the FAI's Volume F9, 2019 edition (effective 1 May 2019) let organisers publish a list of authorised transmitters at least a month ahead, never limited to one or set on commercial grounds. This site gives no advice on modifying transmitters, power or frequencies. This is a racing rule, not law. (Video transmitters and cameras)

Visual line of sight and UA observer (EU)

Under Article 2 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 as adopted in 2019 (later amendments were not read), visual line of sight means the remote pilot keeping continuous unaided visual contact with the aircraft, and Article 4(1)(d) allows an exception when an unmanned aircraft observer is used. EASA's FAQ 116511 (14 October 2020) says flying with goggles in the open category is allowed if a UA observer, located alongside the pilot to communicate immediately, keeps the drone in sight and scans the airspace; FAQ 140038 (25 June 2024) says goggles do not give visual line of sight, in an answer covering non-racing FPV. EASA's FPV page (2022) says the observer needs no formal qualification. (Flying with goggles and observers)

Visual line of sight and visual observer (US)

Under 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(3), a US recreational flyer keeps the aircraft within visual line of sight of the operator or of a visual observer co-located and in direct communication with the operator. Under 14 CFR 107.31 and 107.33, Part 107 flights need the remote pilot in command, the person at the controls and any visual observer to be able to see the aircraft without aids other than corrective lenses, with effective communication at all times (the US text as published by Cornell Law School, because faa.gov could not be read). The FAA's notice of 17 May 2019 (84 FR 22552) says a visual observer is generally optional under the recreational exception but required for FPV, because FPV limits the operator's scan of the airspace; it is a 2019 notice, issued before the statute's 2024 amendment, and whether the FAA's current guidance says the same could not be checked. The AMA's spotter rule is an association rule, not law. (Flying with goggles and observers)

Visual line of sight and visual observers (Canada)

Under CAR 900.01, as Transport Canada's Aeronautical Information Manual, RPA chapter (effective 19 March 2026) quotes it, visual line of sight means unaided visual contact at all times sufficient to keep operational control, know the aircraft's location and scan the airspace; CAR 901.11(1) requires it throughout the flight, kept by the pilot or by trained visual observers in constant and immediate communication with the pilot (CAR 901.20). Section 3.2.26 says a pilot using an FPV system that reduces their field of view must use visual observers, how many depending on the operation's complexity and area; observers need no pilot certificate in basic or advanced operations within visual line of sight. Canada's 2019 regulations (SOR/2019-11, section 901.38) prohibited FPV unless a visual observer performed detect-and-avoid beyond the device's field of view. (Flying with goggles and observers)

W

World Drone Prix (Dubai, 2016)

An international race held in Dubai in March 2016, won by Luke Bannister (UK), aged 15, flying for the team Tornado X-Blades Banni UK, as sUAS News reported. The Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College (2016) gives more than 150 racers; other field sizes were seen only in search summaries, and the exact dates are unconfirmed. (The first races)

World Drone Racing Championship (FAI)

The FAI's world championship for drone racing. The FAI numbers its editions: the 1st at Shenzhen, China, in November 2018, which the FAI says Rudi Browning (Australia), aged 15, won from 127 pilots (Wikipedia says over 128 competitors and a 17-year-old winner); the 2nd at Xiangshan, Ningbo, China, on 11 to 14 December 2019, won by Changhyeon Kang (Korea) according to the FAI's report; the 3rd at Namwon, Korea, in October 2023, won by MinChan Kim (Korea); and the 4th at Hangzhou, China, from 31 October to 3 November 2024, where Yuki Hashimoto (Japan) was overall and junior champion, Luisa Rizzo (Italy) women's champion and Korea the first nation. No Grand Final was held in 2020, and none between 2019 and 2023. The FAI's April 2024 Plenary set World Championships in even years; no 2026 championship was found by 30 October 2026, and a cached FAI drone sports listing (2025 mirror) filtered to late 2026 showed no world or continental championship events, which does not show that none exists. Results of different bodies are never merged. (FAI World Championships)