MultiGP

Last updated
MultiGP
Multigp-logo.png
Sport Drone racing
Category Air sports
JurisdictionInternational
AbbreviationMGP
Founded2015 (2015)
Headquarters Palm Bay, Florida
CEO Chris Thomas
Other key staff
  • Shawn Ames (COO)
  • Mark Grohe (Head of Events)
  • Roger Bess (Head of Development)
  • Clare Cannizzaro (Head of Sales)
  • Enrico Moizo {Head of Marketing & Communication)
  • Michelle Brooks (Head of Finance)
  • Doug Kling (Technical Magician)
  • Joe Scully (Spokesman)
  • Shannon Broussard, Tom Cinnamon (Chapter support)
  • Paul Adkins (Race director)
Official website
www.multigp.com

MultiGP is a global drone racing league and FPV Drone racing community. It governs and manages radio-controlled drone racing competitions. With over 38,539 [1] members and 385 [2] chapters worldwide, MultiGP is the only drone racing league with clear and available methods for participation and advancement within the league. MultiGP governs and sanctions drone racing events across the world, provides race production services, and works with groups to grow the sport of drone racing.

Contents

Founded by Chris Thomas in February 2015, this drone racing league has been involved in the organization and management of over 16,000 [3] races worldwide and created the first national (United States of America) performance-based drone racing championship. This Championship held stringent qualification requirements for entry, not just the price of admission.

MultiGP offices are located in Palm Bay, Florida.

MultiGP is a Special Interest Group (SIG) with The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and has agreed to cooperate in the communications, development, competition, and continued safety efforts of the FPV racing community within the AMA. [4]

History

Chris Thomas, CEO Chris Thomas.jpg
Chris Thomas, CEO

In January 2015, Chris Thomas became involved with his local flying club, Brevard Multirotor. This group of FPV enthusiasts was holding events and races in the Brevard County region of Florida. At the time there was a need for someone to step in and help the pilots manage video frequencies and better organize the events in the area, so Thomas created a spreadsheet and some frequency cards that helped manage the races. In the last weeks of February 2015 MultiGP was created and started aiding local races in the Central Florida area. The first major event MultiGP assisted with was the CFL FPV event held in Leesburg, FL, the last weekend in March 2015. [5]

Shortly thereafter in the spring of 2015, co-founding members were introduced including James Vaello as vice president and Michael Gianoutsos as Chief Marketing Officer. Accreditations include:

MultiGP developed a web-based application that would replace spreadsheet and frequency cards frequency management of video signal frequencies in order for FPV pilots fly while sharing bandwidth. RaceSync is the proprietary software that assigns racing slots and video frequencies in real time, and allows pilots to use their smartphones to check in when they arrive for a race and assign them a race slot and optimum video frequency that will not interfere with the other pilots in the race. [6]

Racing classes

Beginning in 2015, MultiGP created a set of defined racing classes [7] which level the playing field so one pilot doesn't have an advantage over another by using more powerful equipment. This allows the pilot's skill to win the race, not their equipment.

As of 2016 MultiGP has defined classes in Multirotors, Race Wings and Fixed Wings. [8]

In the 2018 season the official racing class for the MultiGP Regional Series was changed to the Open Class, lifting restrictions on battery voltage.

Open Class Quadcopters starting from pro launcher stands. Open Class Category.jpg
Open Class Quadcopters starting from pro launcher stands.

As the years have passed and drone technology has rapidly advanced, race classes have become increasingly well-defined. Below is a table of the current race class configurations.

In June 2024, MultiGP introduced a new race class, the 7" Pro Spec, [9] which features drones equipped with standardized 7-inch components.

RACE CLASSFramePropsMotorBatteryWeight
Open ClassMaximum Size: 305mm (farthest distance

diagonal between motors)

No LimitNo Limit
7" Pro Spec Pro Stock Frame7" decided each eventAny 2808 or less

sized

Whoop65mm ducted31mm maxBrushed or Brushles

and size

Freedom SpecNo LimitHQ R38 Headsup Prop
MicroNo Limit3.1"Motor 1404 4500-4600 KV

MultiGP Universal Time Trial Tracks

In 2015 MultiGP introduced the first Universal Time Trial Track. Universal Time Trial Tracks allow FPV pilots to compete against each other across the world by providing standardized local courses partnered with a global leaderboard.

As of 2017 there are currently (7) different Universal Time Trial Tracks. [10]

MultiGP Championship (World championship)

The National Championship

In 2016 MultiGP introduced the Regional Series and National Championship race format. The MultiGP Regional Series allows pilots to compete on local, regional and ultimately a national level via the 2016 MultiGP Drone Racing Championships.

The first-of-its-kind performance-based drone racing championship was held at AMA headquarters in Muncie, Indiana on September 4, 2016. Over 100 pilots arrived on-site to battle for this Championship event. [11]

The Global Qualifier (2018–current), from National to World Championship

Since 2018 MultiGP introduced the Global Qualifier. The Global Qualifier serves as the primary pathway for drone pilots to qualify for the MultiGP Championship. Every FPV Drone Racing pilot in the world can participate in the Global Qualifier. Each MultiGP chapter is in fact allowed to construct an identical race track as per MultiGP's specifications, ensuring that all participants compete on the same course regardless of their location. Every year, more than 150 Global Qualifier events are held worldwide to create the Global Leaderboard, also known as "The List." MultiGP uses this leaderboard to select and invite pilots for the PRO and SPORT classes of the MultiGP Championship.

List of MultiGP World Championship Winners

YearDatePilotCallsignLocation
2015December 6Shaun TaylorFlag of the United States.svg  United States NytfuryOrlando, Florida [12]
2016September 4Shaun TaylorFlag of the United States.svg  United States NytfuryMuncie, Indiana [13]
2017September 17Alex Vanover [14] [15] Flag of the United States.svg  United States CaptainvanoverReno, Nevada [16] [17] [18]
2018February 10, 2019Evan TurnerFlag of the United States.svg  United States HeadsUpFPVLas Vegas, Nevada [19]
2019November 17Evan TurnerFlag of the United States.svg  United States HeadsUpFPVDaytona Beach, Florida [20]
2020November 8Soren Monroe-AndersonFlag of the United States.svg  United States phatkidMelbourne, Florida [21]
2021Evan TurnerFlag of the United States.svg  United States HeadsUpFPV
2022October 17MinChan KimFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea MCK FPVNo Quarter Ranch, Citrus Springs, Florida
2023October 30MinChan KimFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea MCK FPVNo Quarter Ranch, Citrus Springs, Florida

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motocross</span> Off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits

Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.

The AMA Supercross Championship is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from January through early May. Supercross is a variant of motocross which involves off-road motorcycles on a constructed dirt track consisting of steep jumps and obstacles; the tracks are usually constructed inside a sports stadium. The easy accessibility and comfort of these stadium venues helped supercross surpass off-road motocross as a spectator attraction in the United States by the late 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Bostrom</span> American motorcycle racer

Benjamin Bostrom is an American former professional motorcycle racer. From 1995 to 2011 he competed in the AMA Superbike Championship, the World Superbike Championship and the MotoGP world championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Michel Bayle</span> French motorcycle racer

Jean-Michel Bayle is a French former professional motorcycle racer. He was one of the most successful riders of his era, achieving success at the highest levels in both motocross and road racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossa (motorcycle)</span> Spanish motorcycle manufacturer

Ossa was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer which was active from 1924 to 1982 and from 2010 to 2015. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight, two-stroke-engined bikes used in observed trials, motocross and enduro. The company was known originally as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima (O.S.S.A.) and was later renamed Maquinaria Cinematográfica, S.A..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Racing Corporation</span> Motorsport subsidiary of Honda

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), also known as Honda Racing, is a motorsport subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. From its founding, the company was initially solely responsible for Honda's motorcycle racing activities, before the brand's automobile racing activities were integrated into HRC's scope of work on 1 April 2022. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of technologies used in the development of Honda motorcycles. HRC activities include sales of production racing motorcycles, support for satellite teams, and rider education programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle racing</span> Racing sport using motorcycles

The motorcycle sport of racing includes motorcycle road racing and off-road racing, both either on circuits or open courses, and track racing. Other categories include hill climbs, drag racing and land speed record trials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States motorcycle Grand Prix</span>

The United States motorcycle Grand Prix was a round of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First-person view (radio control)</span> Controlling a radio-controlled vehicle from the driver or pilots view point

First-person view (FPV), also known as remote-person view (RPV), or video piloting, is a method used to control a radio-controlled vehicle from the driver or pilot's viewpoint. Most commonly it is used to pilot a radio-controlled aircraft or other type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as a military drone. The operator gets a first-person perspective from an onboard camera that feeds video to FPV goggles or a monitor. More sophisticated setups include a pan-and-tilt gimbaled camera controlled by a gyroscope sensor in the pilot's goggles and with dual onboard cameras, enabling a true stereoscopic view.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jersey Motorsports Park</span> Motorsports race track in Millville, New Jersey

New Jersey Motorsports Park is a road course "Motorsports Entertainment Complex" located in Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It has hosted races since opening in 2008 and currently hosts a schedule including MotoAmerica Pro Road Racing, 24 Hours of LeMons, American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, SCCA events, SCCA Pro Racing's F2000 Championship Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix</span>

The Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event held on the combined road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. From 2008 to 2015, it was held as part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season (MotoGP). The event was revived in 2020 with MotoAmerica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superbike racing</span> Motorcycle racing with highly modified production motorcycles

Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs highly modified production motorcycles, as opposed to MotoGP in which purpose-built motorcycles are used. The Superbike World Championship is the official world championship series, though national Superbike championships are held in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada. Superbike racing is generally popular with manufacturers, since it helps promote and sell their product, as captured by the slogan "Win on Sunday; Sell on Monday".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Flat Track</span> American motorcycle racing series

American Flat Track is an American motorcycle racing series. The racing series, founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1954, originally encompassed five distinct forms of competitions including mile dirt track races, half-mile, short-track, TT steeplechase and road races. The championship was the premier motorcycle racing series in the United States from the 1950s up until the late 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drone racing</span> Sport where participants control drones

Drone racing is a sport where participants control drones, equipped with cameras while wearing head-mounted displays -also called FPV goggles- showing the live stream camera feed. Similar to full-size air racing, the goal is to complete a course as quickly as possible. Drone racing began in 2011 in Germany with a number of amateur drone controllers getting together for semi-organized races in Karlsruhe.

Superprestigio of the Americas is an invitation-only flat track motorcycle race that pits motorcycle racers from various racing disciplines against many of the best racers from the AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Championship series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drone Racing League</span> Air sports league

The Drone Racing League (DRL) is a professional drone racing league that operates internationally. DRL pilots race in first person view with identical, custom-built drones at speeds above 80 mph through three-dimensional courses. News publication Quartz described DRL as feeling "like from Star Wars" with "hopes [of becoming] the Formula One, NASCAR and MotoGP of drone racing."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Roberts (motorcyclist)</span> American motorcycle racer

Joe Roberts is an American professional motorcycle racer. Roberts competes in the FIM Moto2 World Championship with OnlyFans American Racing aboard a Kalex chassis bike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 SailGP championship</span> 3rd season of SailGP sailing competition

The 2022–23 SailGP Championship was the third season of the SailGP championship.

The FIM Supercross World Championship is the premier championship for international stadium supercross racing. It is organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the global governing body of motorcycle racing.

References

  1. "FPV Drone Racing Pilot | MultiGP". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  2. Moiz, Henry. "MultiGP Drone Racing Chapters". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  3. "MultiGP - Completed Events". www.multigp.com. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  4. "Academy of Model Aeronautics Welcomes MultiGP as an official FPV Racing Special Interest Group | AMA Media Room". amablog.modelaircraft.org. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  5. Jefte Puente (2015-03-03), CFL FPV 2015 Highlights - Hanging with Charpu, Flying the Vortex, Getting Muddy , retrieved 2016-09-15
  6. "RaceSync". App Store. 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  7. "Racing Drone Specifications 2017 | MultiGP". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League.
  8. "MultiGP - | Class Specifications". www.multigp.com.
  9. "Pro Spec". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League.
  10. "MultiGP Universal Time Trial Tracks". www.multigp.com.
  11. "2016 MultiGP Championships". Hobby News Online Articles. HobbyNews.com. 5 September 2016. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  12. "2015 MultiGP Drone Racing Championship Recap". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  13. "2016 MultiGP Drone Racing Championship Recap". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  14. "Alex Vanover USA National Drone Racing Champion". AlexVanover.com. racingdroneworld.com.
  15. "MultiGP 2017 Drone Racing Championship". Racing Drone World. racingdroneworld.com. 18 September 2017.
  16. "54th National Championship Air Races to Host MultiGP Drone Racing League National Championship During Race Week". The Reno Air Racing Association. airrace.org.
  17. "Multi GP Announces National Drone Championship Race Location". Flying Magazine. flyingmag.com. 9 June 2017.
  18. "2017 MultiGP Drone Racing Championship Recap". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  19. "2018 MultiGP Championship Results". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. 2019-02-10. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  20. "2019 MultiGP Championship Results". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. 2019-11-17. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
  21. "2020 MultiGP Championship Results". MultiGP Drone Racing League | FPV Racing League. 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2021-03-21.