Blackbird: The homemade drone that hit nearly 700km/h
8 hours ago
- #engineering
- #speed-record
- #drones
- Australian engineer Benjamin Biggs achieves 411 mph (661 km/h) with a battery-powered drone, surpassing the current record held by Mike and Luke Bell.
- The rivalry between Biggs and the Bells has led to rapid speed increases, from 300 mph in May 2024 to 411 mph in January 2026.
- Biggs' design features a 'puller' configuration, custom-wound motors, and optimized propellers to maximize speed and efficiency.
- The drone uses two SMC 7S 6,000-mAh batteries in series, overcharged to 4.35 volts per cell for higher performance.
- Despite the speed record, the achievement remains unofficial due to a lack of certified witnesses during the run.
- The competition highlights the limits of current battery and propeller technology for low-altitude, high-speed drones.