WPAFB, Oh -- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force visitors will have the opportunity to see fast-flying micro machines as 48 pilots maneuver their drones over, under, around and through the C-124 Globemaster II during the museum’s Third Annual Micro Drone Race Feb. 25-27.
Registered drone pilots will begin practicing at 9 a.m. and then race in a series of 2-minute heats with four drones in each heat from approximately 1p.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday with the final double-elimination bracket with the top 32 qualifying pilots happening from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sunday. Spectators will be able to watch the race along the course in the museum’s second building, as well as from a large screen that will show the drones’ perspective as they are racing.
From 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., visitors will also be able to experience flying a drone with computer-based simulators from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Sinclair College Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program, and the museum’s Education Division. Visitors can then fly an actual drone in two designated areas courtesy of AFRL and the museum’s Education Division. In addition, Sinclair College’s UAS program will have a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and fixed wing UAS on display inside the museum.
Those who cannot attend the race in person at the museum may follow along with the live broadcast on the Cincinnati Quad Racers YouTube channel –https://youtube.com/c/CincinnatiQuadRacers. (Federal endorsement is not implied.)
For additional information, including a map of the event area, visit https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events/.
Note: The drone pilots in this race have pre-registered to participate (registration has closed). The flying of small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) on museum grounds is strictly prohibited. This includes drones and model remote control aircraft. Unauthorized sUAS flights are immediately reported to security forces. Only pre-approved drones participating in this event are permitted to fly inside the museum’s second building. Federal endorsement is not implied.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
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NOTE TO PUBLIC: For more information, contact the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at (937) 255-3286.