DHL has signed on as the latest title sponsor for a new drone racing series – DR1 presents the “DHL Champions Series, Fueled by Mountain Dew”. This racing championship is organised by DR1 Racing, the premiere drone racing organisation that brings together top pilots and racing teams to compete at exhilarating locations throughout the world, including the Post Tower in Bonn, Germany, the headquarters of Deutsche Post DHL Group. This October and November, the races will be broadcast and streamed online by Eurosport, Fox Sports Asia and Twitch.TV, potentially reaching more than 300 million homes around the world.
This new racing series gives DHL the opportunity to continue bolstering its leadership position in the development of drone technology, which plays a vital part in the future of logistics, and extending the reach of the DHL brand to a broader business and consumer audiences through a thrilling new sport. Locations for the first season of the DHL Champions Series are expected to include the United States, Germany and Ireland. DR1 events are already being broadcast in more than 100 countries.
“This new racing series is an exciting opportunity for DHL to showcase our passion for drone racing and illustrate our extensive history in developing innovative and sustainable approaches towards future logistics solutions,” said Ken Allen, CEO, DHL Express. “Similar to Formula E, drone racing represents an exciting new e-racing series, which is why DHL took the opportunity to engage as the logistics partner and title sponsor for DR1’s premier league racing series.”
DHL has been developing and testing its Parcelcopter for more than four years for deliveries in geographically ambitious areas. It has successfully deployed the Parcelcopter for fully automated deliveries in high-altitude and severe weather conditions in the Bavarian Alps and remote locations on German North Sea islands, successfully integrating them into the overall logistical processes of the DHL Parcel unit. DPDHL’s engagement in this area of research has also won the Group the “German Mobility Award 2016” (Deutscher Mobilitätspreis 2016).
DHL Supply Chain has deployed drones in Mexico and Brazil for security surveillance, monitoring sites and assets for theft and damage. Drones can also be used as aid deliveries as part of disaster relief missions after natural disasters.
“We are excited by the potential of innovative technologies in transforming logistics operations in the future. Drones, with their flight capabilities, for example, can significantly cut short the time needed during the last mile delivery. These innovations allow us to more efficient as well as effective in allocating resources, which in turn will benefit our customers as waiting times for deliveries get shortened and more predictable,” said Frank-Uwe Ungerer, managing director, DHL Express Singapore.
“Our commitment to our customers remains at the core of what we do. Embracing new technologies is aligned to our company’s goal of being at the fore of innovation in logistics, so that we maintain pole position as the preferred logistics partner in Asia Pacific.”
Joining DHL and Mountain Dew as sponsors of the Champions Series are Air Hogs, makers of the official DR1 Micro Race Drone and FPV Race Drone, and the US ARMY, which is sponsoring DR1’s Twitch Channel program, “DR1 Drone Tech” that airs before each race.
“We are thrilled to have DHL join the DR1 organisation as the title sponsor for the DHL Champions Series Fueled by Mountain Dew,” said DR1 CEO and founder, Brad Foxhoven.
“Along with Mountain Dew, who has been with us since our first race last year, we have established a racing series that combines epic outdoor racing, elite pilots and racing teams, and a racing format that creates excitement and engagement for the pilots, viewers and spectators.”