[sonic sound]
Max Verstappen: Is that the fastest camera drone in the world?
Speaker 2: They're fucked. Max: Do you think that can keep up with me around
the lap in an F1 car? I think that can be one of the best F1 shots ever.
[intense music] David Coulthard: First of all, let's see
if you can beat me in a straight line. Shaggy: All right, yes, let's see.
David: First across the line, fastest win.
Drone is in position. All right,
let's do this. [roaring sound] Here we go. Shaggy: 150. 180.
David: It's unbelievable. Shaggy: 250.
David: It's amazing. Shaggy: 310. [sonic sound] Whoo. Okay.
David: This isn't a fair comparison. Shaggy: I think I got you there.
David: You definitely did. There's a small issue. These cars aren't really
made for this type of competition. Here's a real challenge. You film a smooth,
well-framed shot for the whole lap around Silverstone in an RV20 with Max Prime.
Thomas: Stupid. Stupid idea to build this. Shaggy: It's going to be hard to get
that speed, and then it's impossible to get the endurance for a full lap.
Thomas: This is going to be hard. Shaggy: Yes.
David: The way it's following a Formula 1 car around the circuit so much more difficult
than in a straight line.
F1 cars are unmatched in their ability to go around corners and also to
decelerate through braking. Can a drone handle that rapid acceleration and deceleration around
the turns? Then there's the distance. The guys are going to have to have enough battery to fly flat
out around this 5.8-kilometer racetrack. They need to make sure that the motor and electrics can take
that amount of sustained power without bursting into flames. Then there's the challenge of having
to learn how to fly a completely new aircraft and keep up with a multiple world champion.
Shaggy: This is what we normally use as an FPV drone for chasing cars. It does 150 to
180 kilometers an hour. It just doesn't have the power, the top speed, and definitely not
the endurance to keep up with an F1 car.
We need to rethink what an FPV drone could be.
Thomas: It's a testing, improving, testing, improving cyclist. Full throttle, baby.
Shaggy: We came up with this. I have no idea what's going to happen. Let's see how far
we can push it. We're going to see first if it works. Second, that it doesn't burn. See
how it handles at some higher speeds.
Going up. Ooh. What the fuck? Whoo.
Speaker 6: This wire. Shaggy: The wire melted.
Speaker 6: It explodes. Shaggy: [laughs] Drone prototype number 2.
[sonic sound] Fly straight. [sonic sound] Should I land?
Speaker 6: Yes, land. Shaggy: Overheating. It can go maximum 100 degrees
and it's already at 120. [sonic sound] I turn around quickly. It really wobbles. Aerodynamic
hacks. Taping everything. I mean, if it works, it works. [sonic sound] Now, I'm going faster. G50.
Speaker 6: Whoa. Holy crap. Sorry. [laughter] Shaggy: Oop. Sorry. [laughter]
Thomas: It's alive. Zero damage. Oh yes. Shaggy: We've tested all we can test in the
field, but it doesn't work on a track.
We're here at Silverstone for some test laps
behind Liam Lawson. We've never done this before. We've only flown in the field so far.
Liam: This thing's so cool. You have to chuck it to start it.
Shaggy: [laughs] No. We have to start it like this, and then
it basically tilts like that and flies. Liam: Right.
Shaggy: We'll show you the footage later. Gianpiero Lambiase: How does it work?
Speaker 1: By a tracker or do you program it via GPS?
Shaggy: No. This is pure manual. Speaker 8: He's a pilot.
Shaggy: I'm the pilot. Gianpiero: Are you kidding?
Shaggy: Yes. This is the time we get to show what we really can do. [sonic sound]
There is a lot of pressure on. It's a long track. It's a fast track. It's hard braking zones.
Speaker 9: We are ready to go with a full lap. Thomas: A lot of things that could go wrong.
Firing up now. All right. We're on track. Shaggy: Yes. Call it. Drone, take off.
Speaker 9: Drone is in the air. Shaggy: Signal is still good.
I'm going around the
turn. It's glitching. We're going to do a bit more full-speed on the straight now. Oop.
Thomas: Did you see that? Shaggy: Oh, shit.
Thomas: That's not cool. Shaggy: I have no video. Hitting return to home.
Thomas: I see it. It's over there. I have video now.
Shaggy: Okay. I'm canceling this lap. Easy landing, please.
I'm going to land it in the grass here. Thomas: Two, one, off. Oh, shit.
Shaggy: It's bouncing down. Thomas: It's a bit worse than I was thinking.
It was definitely not in the game plan. Shaggy: That really scared me a little bit.
I still don't know what happened. We lost signal. We're flying a drone at 300 kilometers an
hour is quite crazy. When we get really close to the car, the wake of the car is just causing
so much turbulence in the drone. I'm really struggling to keep it stable. If we can't fix
this then we cannot do the shot. It's critical. Thomas: No pressure.
Shaggy: Second attempt. It's started recording.
[background noise] Going up.
[sonic sound] Liam: Dude, what? Look at that. [background
noise] Dude, looks like a movie when it comes in like that. [background noise] Oh, it's
so cool, man. [background noise] When you watch on TV, nobody understands the speed
of Formula 1. With this, you definitely can. Shaggy: Yes.
Liam: Oh, you got close to the bridge. Shaggy: Yes, that was low over the bridge.
[background noise] Liam: When you do drone footage shooting
with an F1 car, it always passes or fall off for a little bit and then it takes
off, but you can never have a drone that's — wait, it's actually faster than us.
Speaker 8: The speed it catches you through here is just ridiculous.
Liam: Yes. Going through here and then into Maggots & Beckets
Speaker 8: Copse Corner [background noise]
Liam: I didn't lift much.
Speaker 8: That's just so cool. Liam: Now you actually get an idea of
how fast you're going by everything. [background noise] [laughs] That's so cool, dude.
Thomas: Now we need to do this with Max. Liam: No pressure, yes.
Thomas: If we got Max in the car, we might have an issue with chasing.
We only
get one lap because it's the brand new RB20. Shaggy: We can do all sorts of things probably
to improve. Maybe some aerodynamic changes and improve reliability.
Thomas: We're going to visit people that know how to help us out.
Rob Gray: We have all of the same departments that they use to engineer the car and we use
all of the same tools, techniques, methods, equipment.
Formula 1 is all about the development
race. We need to really look at how we can add some performance quickly. We can think about using
the aerodynamics side of the business to help make it go quite a lot faster. Some material changes.
The composite design side could probably take some weight out. I think there's lots of things we can
do to help. We need to work together on this and then we'll see where we end up.
[intense music] Shaggy: RBAT have helped us with
really cool materials. It's shorter, it's lighter, we have a better camera system.
Thomas: Now it all comes down to one lap. Speaker 9: Max has arrived.
Max: It flies like this or like that? Shaggy: Like this.
Max: It looks really cool. Shaggy: Yes. We've been working for a
year on this project. It's one of the fastest drones in the world, but it's
the fastest filming drone in the world. Max: Do you think you can keep
up with me for a full lap? Shaggy: We've not picked the easiest driver
to do this. We have to film Max Verstappen, the three-time world champion in the RB20.
Speaker 9: That is Max getting into the car. Shaggy: How confident are we feeling?
Thomas: 10 out of 10.
If it doesn't rain. Shaggy: I'm not nervous normally,
but now I've slowly– getting me. Speaker 9: Firing up. The car is
ready to go. Enjoy. Safe riding. Shaggy: Let's get ready to go.
Speaker 9: This is the only route we have for the RB20.
Shaggy: Okay? Ready? Speaker 9: Now he's leaving the garage. [background noise]
Shaggy: Oh, he's there already. Shit. [background noise]
Shaggy: Ready. Thomas: Recording.
Shaggy: Okay. Let's go up. Launching. [background noise]
Speaker 9: There's a drone in the air. It will be a full lap.
Drone is starting the full lap. Shaggy: I'm on it.
[background noise] [pause 00:09:33]
[drone recording] [music] Thomas: That sounds good.
Speaker: [laughs] Max: Shots never really been done before. The
quality is really good. Oh wow. You have to also be careful of the the bridges.
Shaggy: Just over. Max: Crazy. I never thought to see
a drone going that quick. It gives a different perspective to watching Formula 1.
Shaggy: A little bit to the side and then try to match up.
For the first two laps.
Max: Yes. That's really nice. A bit of a shame with the rain.
Shaggy: Well, Max, we need a full speed dry lap behind you.
Max: Sure. This can change how people watch Formula 1.
[00:12:05] [END OF AUDIO].