🏁 A Beginner’s Guide to FPV Race Timing with RotorHazard

If you’re into FPV drones and have ever flown with friends, chances are someone said, “We should race!” And while casual racing is fun, running a proper event with accurate lap times brings a whole new level of excitement. That’s where FPV race timers come in.

In this post, we’ll explore the basics of race timing, introduce you to RotorHazard — a powerful open-source timing system — and walk you through what you need to know to start hosting your own FPV races. Whether you’re just curious or ready to build your first timing gate, this guide is for you.

🕒 What Is FPV Race Timing — and Why Does It Matter?

FPV race timing is the process of automatically tracking how fast each pilot completes a lap. Rather than relying on manual stopwatches or guesswork, a race timer detects when a drone crosses a start/finish gate and logs the exact time.

• ✅ Running fair and consistent races
• ✅ Recording accurate lap times
• ✅ Comparing pilot performance
• ✅ Creating structure for events

In short, a race timer takes your flying sessions from informal fun to organized, competitive racing.

💡 Introducing RotorHazard: The Community-Built Race Timing System

RotorHazard is a free, open-source race timing and event management system built specifically for FPV drone racing. It’s lightweight, affordable, and customizable — designed by FPV pilots, for FPV pilots.

🔧 What Makes RotorHazard Special?

• No extra gear required on your quad — it uses your existing video signal
• Web-based control interface — manage races from your phone, tablet, or laptop
• Real-time lap tracking with multi-pilot support
• Event tools — assign pilots, create heats, track results
• Runs on a Raspberry Pi — easy to set up, portable, and budget-friendly

Whether you’re hosting casual races at the park or setting up a full weekend event, RotorHazard is built to scale with you.

🔍 How Lap Detection Works (Simplified)

RotorHazard detects when a drone crosses the timing gate using the RSSI (signal strength) from its video transmission.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. Each pilot uses a specific video channel (e.g., Raceband 1).
2. A receiver module (like the RX5808) is tuned to that frequency.
3. As the drone passes through the gate, the signal strength spikes.
4. RotorHazard recognizes the spike and logs a lap.

The system uses smart filters to avoid false triggers and ensure only clean lap detections are recorded.

🛠️ A Quick Look at the Hardware

While this blog focuses more on understanding race timing, here’s a quick overview of the basic hardware in a RotorHazard system:

You can build your own setup using open-source schematics and community guides, or buy pre-assembled kits from trusted makers. Once set up, the system connects easily over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

🖥️ Setting Up the Software (Beginner-Friendly)

One of the best things about RotorHazard is how easy it is to get running.

Here’s a simplified overview of the software setup:

1. Install Raspberry Pi OS on a microSD card.
2. Power up the Pi and run a one-line script in the terminal to install RotorHazard.
3. Once installed, RotorHazard runs a local web server.
4. Access the timer interface on your phone, tablet, or PC via your local network.

The interface lets you:

• Add pilots and assign video channels
• Create heats and rounds
• Start races and view live lap data
• Control race start countdowns and timing
• Review and export results

Even without hardware, you can explore the UI in demo mode and get a feel for how races are managed.

🎯 Tips for Hosting Your First Race

Starting your own race doesn’t require a huge budget or experience. Here are some helpful beginner tips:

• Start small — even a 2-pilot race is a great way to learn.
• Test detection with different VTx power levels (e.g., 25 mW vs 200 mW).
• Mount receivers securely and align them well with the gate area.
• Keep the timing gate wide to ensure smooth lap detection.
• Use practice runs to fine-tune your RSSI thresholds.

The more you experiment, the more you’ll understand how your gear behaves — and the smoother your events will be.

🚀 Why RotorHazard Is a Game-Changer

RotorHazard gives FPV pilots the ability to host structured, exciting races without breaking the bank. It brings together affordability, flexibility, and powerful features in a system that’s easy to set up and fun to use.

For new race hosts, it removes the biggest barrier to entry — cost and complexity. You can start with a simple setup and grow as your needs evolve. And because it’s open-source, the community is always improving it.

Whether you’re organizing weekend races with friends or dreaming of bigger events, RotorHazard makes it possible — and enjoyable.

📸 Real-World Builds: What RotorHazard Timers Look Like

One of the best parts about RotorHazard is how customizable it is. There’s no single “right” way to build your timer — from DIY setups with custom enclosures to minimalist breadboard builds, the community has come up with all kinds of creative solutions.

🎬 Final Thoughts

FPV racing is thrilling on its own, but structured timing takes it to the next level. With RotorHazard, you can create races that are fair, fun, and fast-paced — with the kind of professionalism you’d expect at a national event.

If you’ve been curious about hosting races, now’s the perfect time to dive in. Start learning the system, build or buy your first node, and bring your local FPV community together.

Once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever flew without it.