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Each time we race, we need a course to follow—but some layouts are extremely interesting while others come up short. Course design doesn’t have to be difficult. Here’s how to construct a course that’s appropriately challenging, feels fast, and is fun to fly.
Defining a Layout
A course is defined by its individual features. Auto racing drivers and fans will often discuss famous corners like Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew or Nürburgring’s Karussell . It’s easiest to break down a course this way to discuss the best approach and determine strategy, piece by piece. For the same reasons, it’s easiest to approach course design by considering what features will be included. Course features are mainly described by their shape, but are sometimes further described by the amount of speed a racer carries through them: straights and gentle corners are described as “fast” while hairpins and chicanes are “slow”. We’ve detailed a wide selection of course features you can use at the end of this article including their uses, attributes, and an estimation of difficulty.
Speed and Focus
In course design, speed and focus tend to be at opposing ends of a spectrum. Simple lines and gentle corners make for very fast courses that don’t challenge the ability of the pilot as much. Difficult, technical courses require more precision control and quick reflexes. Where your course falls on this spectrum is a matter of preference. We surveyed our group and found that everyone enjoyed both high speed as well as technical challenge—it’s important to find the balance that’s right for your group.
Technical courses separate out pilots with the best control and stamina, but you can take this too far if your course offers nothing but one technical challenge after another. Racers can get frustrated, and novice pilots may not be able to complete races at all. Use gentle corners and straights between your more technical features to offer pilots a rest. You’ll have far fewer crashes when pilots have just a few more seconds to adjust their entry into a difficult section. At the other end, a course can go too far and have almost no challenge. This kind of course takes the emphasis away from developing skill as a pilot and places it on buying better, faster parts. Fast courses also kill batteries and stress equipment more. However, most racers enjoy an opportunity to punch the throttle flat out in a race and get some real speed.
While nearly everyone will tell you they want to go fast, a big part of the feeling of speed isn’t speed at all; it’s acceleration. Use this to your advantage in course design. Set up a slow, technical feature like a hairpin before a long straight. You’ll make the entry safer, add some interest to the course, and the following straight will give a more impressive feeling of speed because the acceleration is greater.
Having to follow a course that isn’t marked well also requires focus and expends a racer’s mental energy—but never in a good way. Losing the line because you forgot or could not see where to go is frustrating and annoying. Always mark your courses very clearly! Racers want to be challenged on piloting skill, not whether they remember an obscure layout.
Safety
Even in the top-most levels of auto racing, course safety is an important aspect of design. Our courses should be no different. If you have the ability to completely separate your flying area from where people are allowed, do so. This will require a strong barrier like thick nets or fencing, and might need to extend fairly high up. If that’s not possible, plan your routes carefully and think about where a quad that’s lost control may end up. If a pilot crashes on a corner, the quad is most likely to roll to the outside. Crashes are most likely near gates and obstacles. Make sure there aren’t people or property in these areas. One good reason to use slower course features is to reduce the momentum a racer has when approaching a sensitive area. Never direct a fast section of the course toward an unsafe backstop.
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