A 5G-enabled drone developed by Drone Racing League (DRL) and T-Mobile has just made its primetime debut. As one of the first racing drones in the world to have an embedded 5G module capable of live streaming video, the Magenta 5G drone gave baseball fans unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the long-awaited Field of Dreams Game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB).
The August 12 Field of Dreams Game featured a matchup between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox in Dyersville, Iowa. This is the same place where Academy Award-nominated classic 1989 baseball flick Field of Dreams was filmed.
For the game, a special temporary field was set up amid 159 acres of cornfields, making it possible to hit a home run into the cornfield beyond the right-field wall. There was also a corn maze outside the park in the shape of MLB’s logo. A total of 8,000 game tickets were sold, exclusively to Iowa residents.
Behind-the-scenes at MLB Field of Dreams Game
Taking fans on a flight across the cornfields, DRL and T-Mobile’s Magenta 5G drone captured exclusive first-person views of the iconic ballpark and the movie site. Fans were able to see the house and original ballfield before moving on to the MLB field where the Field of Dreams Game was played. Take a look:
This new 5G-enabled drone is purpose-built for sports entertainment. Capable of capturing exhilarating, crisp video footage, the drone has a dual FPV and HD streaming camera system, a 5s lipo battery setup for extended flight time, and over 2,400 g of thrust. This enables the drone to film incredible content through mile-long courses while flying over 60 mph.
Stressing that 5G technology is empowering innovators to reimagine virtually every industry and customer experience, Neville Ray, president of technology at T-Mobile, says:
Drones are one of the most compelling use cases for 5G and we’re working towards a future where all drones will eventually be 5G-connected.
5G tech to transform professional drone racing events
The 5G magenta drone may have made its debut with a baseball game, but its full power will be unleashed in the upcoming DRL 2021-22 season. Ahead of DRL events, the drone will soar around the course, filming exclusive previews of the complex, three-dimensional race tracks for fans tuning in on broadcast.
The immersive content that this 5G drone will bring has previously not been possible to capture because DRL pilots fly via analog radio transmissions for lower latency – and that sacrifices crisp quality footage in their goggles. As DRL president Rachel Jacobson explains:
The Drone Racing League is a perfect case study for showcasing the benefits of T-Mobile 5G wireless technology with our high-speed racing drones. Our fans love innovation and discovering how new technology is developed, and we know our 5G-enabled drone will get them excited about new ways they will be able to experience the immersive thrill of professional drone racing.
Watch the making of the drone here:
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