Drone Racing League, ESPN reach broadcasting agreement

The Drone Racing League and ESPN have reached an agreement for the network to broadcast the first full season of the upstart organization, it was announced Wednesday.

"Coverage of DRL lets us merge storytelling, technology and competition into compelling weekly content that we believe will appeal to a growing audience," said Matthew Volk, ESPN's director of programming and acquisitions.

ESPN will air 10 one-hour episodes beginning with a viewer's guide to drone racing, airing Thursday night on ESPN2 and concluding with the DRL World Championship on Nov. 20.

The elite pilots fly quadcopter drones at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, with the goal of collecting the most points. Pilots and viewers have a first-person cockpit view thanks to cameras inside the drones.

The DRL has received $12 million in investment from the likes of RSE Ventures, backed by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, and Courtside Ventures, backed by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.