Drone flying community gathers at SAIT for races, exhibition

Drone Fair at SAIT Drone enthusiasts, including racers, gathered at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology on Sunday

Hundreds of people gathered at the SAIT Campus Centre on Sunday for a celebration of drone technology and innovation.

Vendors and drone experts were on hand to discuss innovations in the field and the school’s gymnasium was transformed to a race course for First Person View (FPV) racing.

Calgary’s Peter Shmerko, a 15-year-old who developed a love for drones as a member of a robotics club at the University of Calgary, is now a sponsored racer and receives drone parts from a company overseas.

“This (drone) is specifically made for racing, FPV racing,” said Shmerko of his entry in Sunday’s races. “It’s designed by Impulse RC which is an Australian company which I recently got sponsored by. They provide me with the frames and some of the electronics.”

Shmerko says drones have come a long way in the four years he’s been flying.

FPV racing, where goggles equipped with a monitor provide the pilot with a view from inside the drone’s cockpit, is becoming a lucrative event worldwide. Shmerko says some races have prize money exceeding $250,000. No prize money was awarded during the exhibition races at SAIT.

Patrick Weinmayer, SAIT’s director of products and partnerships, says the constantly evolving drone technology has created unforeseen safety concerns.

“These are actually aviation products and they’re sharing airspace with planes.” explained Weinmayer. “Even if you bought it from a toy store or from the Best Buy, it’s still an aviation product so you do have to comply with the Transport Canada rules.”

SAIT will soon offer drone pilot training courses providing instruction on safe flying practices.