Father and son from South Africa create world’s fastest drone

A father-and-son duo from South Africa created the world’s fastest drone, with an average top speed of 298.47 mph.

Luke Bell and his father Mike, of Western Cape, dubbed the quadcopter Peregreen 2 after an earlier model that reach 247 mph, Guinness World Records reported.

The drone is 3D-printed carbon fiber, battery operated and remote controlled. The duo tapped aerothermal engineer Chris Rosser for help controlling it. To nab the record, they flew the drone in two runs in opposite directions, demonstrating its ability to navigate tail or head winds. They clocked an actual top speed of 317 mph and an average of 298.47 mph.

The Bells created the device over a period of months, troubleshooting problems, including electrical fires caused by overheating wires and batteries.

Mike Bell is an architect who designed the Mbombela Stadium, where the 2010 FIFA World Cup took place. His son is a content creator and ambassador to Sony, specializing in reviewing drones and cameras on YouTube and Instagram.