BMW just embarked on the ambitious goal of making the world’s fastest racing drones, inking a development deal with the Drone Racing League.
According to the league’s CEO, the partnership will boost the German automaker’s reach among millennials.
“We’re attracting a young, excited audience that’s interested in things like technology, video games, drones,” Nicholas Horbaczewski told Cheddar. “So [for brands like BMW] it’s a way to reach those consumers. In the past two years we’ve had over 55 million TV viewers.”
And the DRL is not just about the excitement of the sport, it’s also about the technology. Last year members hand-built a drone with a speed of 162 miles per hour, a record it hopes to break with the help of BMW.
“All the technology that’s used in the league is developed by DRL,” Horbaczewski said. “We design the drones in-house, we design the radio communication equipment in-house … It’s truly a technology innovation company.”
The BMW deal wouldn’t be DRL’s first, though. The league has also partnered with companies such as Swatch, Cox Communications, and insurance firm Allianz.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-drone-racing-league-teams-up-with-bmw).
Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), discusses humanoid robots, AI, smart manufacturing, and the future of U.S. industry.
Should kids be banned from social media? Nick Lichtenberg of Fortune breaks down the global push to restrict under-16 users and what it means for Big Tech.
Miso Robotics CEO Rich Hull discusses Flippy Fry Station, the future of AI-powered restaurant automation and how acquiring Zume's IP could reshape food robotics
After two years of AI-fueled spending, Wall Street is asking what's next. Gil Luria breaks down monetization, valuations, winners, losers, and AI's future.
FIFA’s soccer World Cup promises to deliver $11.1 billion in spending and $30.5 billion economic impact for the U.S., but how much is it really helping?