Insights

"From mountain top to salt mine"

TRILUX defies wind and weather

12.07.2019

Drone races are the latest motorsport of the young generation. The pilots master spectacular race courses with their drones, inspiring with truly breathtaking flight manoeuvres. TRILUX has been an official lighting partner of the Drone Champions League (DCL) from the start and makes sure of perfect event staging. We interviewed Thomas Weirather, the co-founder of DCL, taking a closer look at the cooperation with TRILUX.

Mr. Weirather, how's the season gone up until now?

The 2018 season and the one before it have certainly had some highlights to offer. I particularly remember the events that took place in front of fascinating backdrops such as the Great Wall of China and the bull ring in Madrid. We're used to extreme conditions with the drone races ranging from ice and snow to salt mines. However, such venues are something very special and constantly represent new challenges for the lighting experts. We've now also got twice the audience compared to the opening event in Munich which makes us proud. We're curious to see how many fans turn up at the next race on 13 and 14 June in Turin, of course.

With drone races, what's the biggest challenge regarding lighting?

The DCL races are always held in unusual places. Sometimes on the top of a mountain where we're forced to struggle with snow and ice and sometimes in a salt mine where the salty, humid air can present problems. The venue locations couldn't be more different and more extreme, but the challenge remains the same – identifying the right lighting for the specific surroundings. The light has to be suitable for the spectators and also for the camera shots, and of course shouldn’t interfere with the pilots – which is ensured thanks to a sophisticated TRILUX lighting concept. As the races are often broadcast via livestream everything has to really fit and match.

What's so special about the partnership with TRILUX?

The quality of our sport depends on good light. Drones are fast, compact and very agile. The lighting helps support orientation for the spectators and the pilots: eight drones are in the air at the same time meaning that eight pilots are on the stage. The right light is needed to identify which drone is at which position, who's in which team and also who's been eliminated. The fact that the racecourse is illuminated with TRILUX luminaires means the pilots have the very best camera views during the competition.