- Self-built Blackbird drone reaches 428.8 mph / 690 km/h in the Australian outback
- Ben Biggs is an aerospace engineer by training
- The record remains unofficial due to lack of professional observer
I consider myself a drone expert, but then I come across a story like this and realize that I’m really a novice compared to some pilots. Drone Pro Hub recently released a video on its YouTube channel, in which its quadcopter reached an astonishing world record speed of 428.8 mph/690 km/h in the skies of the Australian outback.
This drone is also not a multi-million dollar prototype from DJI or an American aerospace giant. The “Blackbird” was designed and built from scratch by Australian engineer Ben Biggs, and its components total about $3,000, which isn’t much more expensive than a high-end consumer camera drone.
The drone’s 100m average on this recent flight is around 410 mph / 661 km/h (with the upwind run averaging over 635 km/h and the downwind run averaging 690 km/h), around 3 km/h faster than the official Guinness World Record for drone speed, set in December 2025 by Luke Maximo Bell with his own custom-made Peregreen V4 aircraft.
So that means Biggs and the Blackbird are the new official world record holders, right? Unfortunately for him, this is not the case. Because he was unable to find a professional observer to witness his attempt (getting a professional drone pilot available to venture into the wilds of rural Australia at short notice not being an easy task), it remains unofficial and out of the record books.
How the Blackbird Reaches Its Maximum Speed
As Drone XL reports, the key to the upgraded Blackbird’s incredible air speed appears to be Biggs’ choice of motors. He chose four AAX 2826 Competition motors with extended cables, which directly power the drone’s arms and are soldered directly to the speed controllers. This means there is no extra wiring, no extra weight and these arms can remain as thin and light as possible.
Biggs also uses two batteries, which sets it apart from most of its rivals trying to set the drone speed record. These batteries have a high voltage cap to keep heat production low and power high, and are lightly overcharged to provide more power to the motors at maximum RPM. This means that the drone cannot fly for a long time, but when flying at full throttle, it spins faster and cooler.
Before Luke Maximo Bell’s record attempt late last year, Biggs held the official speed record himself, and we expect him to return with an official observer to make another attempt soon – one that will this time make it into the record books. And after that? Well, it won’t be long before the world’s first 700 km/h drone flight, right?
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