Nissan unveils GT-R Drone
Nissan has just unveiled a drone that's built to keep up with the new 2017 GT-R on a racetrack. Christened as the GT-R Drone, the quadcopter is billed as one of the fastest accelerating FPV (First Person View) racing drones in the world.
The drone has been custom designed by Tornado XBlades Racing, a company that's won the World Drone Prix Championship, a racing series for drones.
The GT-R Drone features a race-tuned configuration and low-drag canopy which enables it to accelerate from 0-100kmph in an astonishing 1.3 seconds. The Nissan GT-R in comparison accelerates from naught to 100kmph in a little less four seconds. The drone has four propellers that are connected to a 2,000KV XNova motor and race specification Sky-Hero quadcopter frame.
The drone is powered by 1,400mAh Lithium-Polymer battery. It weighs 0.7kg and has a static thrust of 4.68kg. The GT-R, on the other hand, is powered by twin-turbo, 3.8-litre, 24-valve V6 engine that produces 565PS and 637Nm.
While the drone may be faster to 100kmph, the car has a higher top speed of 315kmph compared to the drone's (185kmph).
That said, the incredible cornering ability is no match for the drone's ultra-small turning circle of 0.3metres.
Nissan has also released a video where the 2017 GT-R and the GT-R Drone battle it out on a purpose-built 1.2m section of the Silverstone racetrack. The car is driven by Nissan Nismo driver Ricardo Sanchez while the drone is piloted by James Bowles, the 2015 British National Drone Racing Champion. The video shows the speed and agility of the GT-R which is quite frankly astonishing. Watch it below and find out for yourself.