Business & Money | Wednesday 8 March, 2017 10:21 am |

OSN, the region’s leading entertainment network, has partnered with Drone Racing League (DRL), the premier international drone racing league for elite pilots, to bring exclusively all the action of the latest buzz sport to the region. Intensely mesmerising to watch, Season 1 of the Drone Racing League will be available to OSN subscribers on OSN Sports Action 1HD from March 2nd at 20:00KSA; with Season 2 set to be announced later this year; and the global race series culminating in a World Championship event.  OSN is the first network to bring the high-speed, action sport of Drone Racing to the region, another first for its subscribers, and reflecting the network’s customer-first approach to deliver additional value and exclusive content. Drone Racing combines the thrill of action-racing with a videogame-like experience, resulting in a uniquely fast-paced sport. The most elite league in Drone Racing, DRL sees world-class pilots race drones which are custom designed to maximise speed, and agility, which is unmatched by humans, guiding them through near-impossible three-dimensional course designs. Andy Warkman, SVP, Sport & Sports Production, OSN said: “We are bringing the hugely exciting Drone Racing League to the region, at a time when interest in future sports is rapidly gaining traction and personal drone ownership is becoming more common. As we continue to broaden the breadth of diverse and in-demand offerings to customers, we’re staying abreast of new and emerging trends so that we can continue to bring the best in sport to the region.” Quick reaction times and a steady hand are required to avoiding crashing the drones, as they whizz through obstacle courses at speeds of up to 200km/hour. Pilots wear VR-style goggles to remotely manoeuvre the drones, using videogame-type controllers, for a fast-paced, action-packed event. Following the 2016 World Championship event in October, Drone Racing League is continuing to gain traction as global awareness and popularity increases. A sports and media company, DRL is dedicated to combining the best in world-class pilots, iconic locations and proprietary technology, to create engaging drone racing content with mass appeal. DRL is incredibly excited to partner with OSN to bring the sport of the future to the region,” said DRL CEO and Founder Nicholas Horbaczewski. “OSN is an innovative partner who help DRL reach new audiences as we bring the world’s greatest drone races to new regions and one-of-a-kind venues around the world.” DRL races are held in iconic locations including stadiums, subway tunnels, abandoned factories, historical landmarks, and are pre-recorded and spliced to show viewers the most intense and action-packed race moments, from a combination of drone footage and cameras which are set throughout the course – so viewers won’t miss a beat. The drones used for DRL are custom-designed and conform to rigorous standards of speed, performance and endurance. They are meticulously measured and weighed to ensure they’re identical, agile and lightweight. Minute on-board camera provides the pilot, who controls the drones wearing VR-style goggles, using video-game type controllers, a live cockpit-like view. The race is essentially a series of short sprints with score based on time and check-out completion. The courses are designed to mimic videogames for an intense real-life 3D experience. For detailed schedules and to join the conversation, visit www.osn.com Get social with OSN on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @OSN #OSNDroneRL