Swiss drone racing pilot Dario Neuenschwander won the FAI Drone Racing World Cup 2017 with an overall score of 142 points.

He was presented with the FAI Drone Racing World Cup trophy, a permanent CIAM (Aeromodelling Commission) trophy donated last year by the Fédération Française d'AéromoModélisme, at the CIAM pilots 2017 World Cup Award Ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“Receiving this prize is one of my very greatest achievements,” he says. “I really enjoyed travelling around the world meeting great pilots during the FAI Drone Racing World Cup. It was an amazing experience.

“And I am very grateful to all the people who supported me on the way, including the friends I trained so hard with, and my dad who always came along to support me. My victory would not have been possible without their help.”

The 29-year-old pilot honed his racing skills in the world of aeromodelling, before turning to drone sports in 2015. His first competitive race was the Swiss Rotor Sports Association Championship in October 2016.

“I started drone racing after watching clips of the sport on YouTube about two years ago,” Neuenschwander says. “It was easy for me to get into drone racing as I have been involved in aeromodelling since 2008.”

His busy training schedule is one reason for his success in the sport.

“I try to practise every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays,” he says. “I also try to train during the week before big competitions, but that can be quite complicated when you have a full-time job!”

Sponsored by FuriousFPV and Xnovamotors, Neuenschwader’s advice to drone pilots keen to emulate his success is:  “Train, train, train: there’s nothing that can improve your performance in the same way.”