Every second Sunday, Woodville Hockey Club becomes a buzzing battlefield for Adelaide’s drone pilots

From 15-year-old military cadets to 50-year-old registered nurses these racers compete for glory – and their skills must be seen to be believed.

Top drone racers Darcy Rose’Meyer, 15, Angus Porter, 15, and Kris Mallise, 31. Picture: Dean Martin

Woodville Hockey Club on Sunday became a battlefield for one of Adelaide’s oddest and most technically demanding sports: drone racing.

Those passing by the fortnightly battle would have discovered a crew of ten individuals – ranging from teenage military cadets to middle-aged nurses – bashing on remotes to fly their drones through a course of gates faster than their opponents.

The pilots, including Adelaide FPV Racing president David Hoyle, 50, wore “zero delay” video goggles displaying a first-person view from the would-be cockpits of the small buzzing objects.

At Woodville North, race director Jeremy Porter at the console, with pilots David Hoyle, David and Sue Guscott, and organiser Joseph Tan. Picture: Dean Martin

The pilots test their skills at Woodville North every fortnight. Picture: Dean Martin

Mr Hoyle, who studied electrical engineering at university, said he enjoyed the sport because it neatly balanced his skills – electronics, IT, soldering, drone piloting and videography.

“It’s fun,” he said.

“It’s probably about ten times more fun than what you would think until you’ve actually done it.”

He insisted the activity was a sport.

“If you consider motorbike racing and car racing a sport, I guess you’d have to include ours as a sport as well, wouldn’t you?” Mr Hoyle said.

Adelaide’s fastest drone racer, 15-year-old Angus “McQueen” Porter, was one of three Australian Defence Force cadets honing their skills at the races on Sunday.

Mr Porter said that, like most pilots, he builds and programs his drones from scratch.

But where he stands apart from others is the incredible speed at which he pilots the objects, which The Advertiser witnessed first-hand on Sunday when wearing goggles displaying his drone’s view during a race.

Top drone racers and Australian Defence Force cadets Darcy Rose’Meyer, 15, of Happy Valley, Angus Porter, 15, of Warradale, and Kris Mallise, 31, of Moonta Bay. Picture: Dean Martin

“It’s just a really good community, and also it’s super fun to fly them around,” he said.

“Especially when you’re going really quick. It’s a really unreal experience. You can’t really find much else like it.”

The year 11 student is training to qualify for the 2025 Military International Drone Racing Tournament held in America.

“That’s my big goal at the minute,” he said.

“I’ve been practising a lot for that.”

Registered nurse Sue Guscott, 50, attended on Sunday with her Maltese poodle Holly and brother David Guscott.

She said she began flying two years ago because of an interest in drone photography, after her brother’s travel footage of silo artworks sparked her interest.

“Racing is good (for drone photographers); it gives you accuracy and keeps you tight,” Ms Guscott said.

She said her colleagues were surprised to discover the hobby.

“We had a stand-around: ‘Tell us something nobody knows about you’,” she said.

“So, I said, ‘I am a drone pilot and the only female pilot in South Australia’. And they’re like, ‘Oh, what?’ It’s a bit niche.”

On Sunday she placed ahead of her brother, who has been racing since 2016, in the time trial results.

Originally published as Every second Sunday, Woodville Hockey Club becomes a buzzing battlefield for Adelaide’s drone pilots