Teen drone ace Ruby Congdon ready to dominate nationals
Australia’s fastest female drone pilot, 17-year-old army cadet Ruby Congdon, is set to soar against the very best at the Australian Drone Nationals starting today in Townsville.
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Australia’s fastest top gun female drone pilot will be up against the best of the rest in the country for the Mission Foods 2024 Drone Racing Nationals at the Townsville Sports Reserve Precinct starting Friday.
Seventeen-year-old army cadet Ruby Congdon is part of a thirteen member army and cadet team competing at the event.
She is using the event to prepare for the world drone championships in China next month and said the cadets had some of the best drone pilots in the country and she was thrilled to be ranked the number one female pilot and selected for the world championships.
“So according to the data, I may or may not be the fastest female pilot in Australia, which is super cool, in my personal opinion,” she said.
She is competing in the five inch drone class which is cable of clocking 130km per hour plus and feels a need for speed.
“Honestly, I love flying fast, but I’ve really, especially recently, I think I’ve been able to calm nerves down a lot and be able to just like, go faster, go stronger.”
The cadet said the secret to her speed and success was simple.
“If you start off thinking that you’re really bad, just keep trying. Because I started off really terrible, but I really enjoyed myself, and I practice, practice, practice. That’s how get fast.”
The sports reserve has been transformed for the free event into a massive outdoor aerial racing track and Townsville First Person View Association (FPVR) event co-ordinator Zakariah Martin-Taylor said it was a fantastic way for visitors to experience the excitement of drone racing and meet people working in the UAV industry.
“Drone racing is not only great fun but it also provides lots of opportunities for career pathways into STEM related fields such as robotics and engineering,” said Mr Martin-Taylor.
Among the competitors vying for the top spot and prize money are the fastest drone racers from the Australian Army, Air Force Drone Racing and Australian Army Cadet Drone Racing Teams.
“The Drone Nationals is the pinnacle of drone racing in Australia so it’s very competitive but there is also a real camaraderie between the racers. It’s a very inclusive and supportive sport and we hope to encourage others to get involved.”
The Mission Foods 2024 Drone Racing Nationals will be on from 13 – 14 September 2024 at the Townsville Sports Precinct, North Ward. Admission is free.
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Originally published as Teen drone ace Ruby Congdon ready to dominate nationals
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