A league of competitive drone pilots is trying to attract sports fans with nothing to watch during the pandemic

• The Drone Racing League is using technology to be one of the few professional sports leagues still active during the coronavirus pandemic.
• In drone races, pilots fly drones around elaborate courses in stadiums and landmarks around the world.
• The league is currently running a tournament in which drone pilots compete via a simulator that recreates the same flying experience as a real drone.

Sports fans looking to fill the void left by the coronavirus have turned to some unusual competitions the past three months, from robot fighting to marble racing.

And now, a league of competitive drone racers is trying to steal some of that attention.

Founded in 2015, the Drone Racing League features the world's best pilots flying first-person drones around courses in stadiums and landmarks around the world.

It's aiming to capitalize on the widespread shutdown of sporting activities, leveraging its global popularity to attract sponsors like NBC, and the sports gambling website, FanDuel.

The league streams and broadcasts races in 90 countries, reaching tens of millions of viewers each season.

The sport blurs the lines between the virtual world and reality by using simulator technology in annual tournaments in which amateur pilots compete for DRL contracts.

"They may not have been genetically gifted to play on an NBA or NFL team, but when you put in the time to learn how to fly a drone, you absolutely can compete at the highest level," said Rachel Jacobson, President of the Drone Racing League.

During a DRL race, pilots strap on goggles that connect to a live feed camera at the front of the drone. Using remote control radios, the pilots use this first-person view to fly through elaborately designed tracks.

And just like a pit crew, the league's tech ops team is there to recover and repair any drone that crashes during a race so the pilots can get back to racing.

"It's that magic that when the audience is watching it, they don't think about the technology. They just think about the sport," said Nicholas Horbaczewski, founder and CEO of the Drone Racing League.

The DRL has made several announcements aiming to capitalize on the lack of live sporting events. It recently made a deal with FanDuel that brought the element of fantasy and betting to the sport.

With the FanDuel SIM Cup, the DRL is taking advantage of its virtual platform while other sporting leagues are shut down. Giving sports fans a rare opportunity to see competitive sports during the pandemic.

The first race aired on NBC Sports May 16, and future events will be simultaneously streamed on Twitter every weekend until the championship race on Sunday, July 5.

All 12 of the league's pilots have pledged their winnings from the SIM Cup to be donated to Direct Relief, an organization that brings protective gear to frontline workers during the pandemic.