Ben Biggs, a 15-year drone pilot with a degree in aerospace engineering, has recently landed a coveted Guinness World Record after building a drone capable of reaching staggering speeds of more than 388mph
14:57, 22 Dec 2025
The world’s speediest drone outpaces any car and can achieve remarkable speeds exceeding half the speed of sound. Ben Biggs, a drone pilot with 15 years’ experience and a degree in aerospace engineering, has recently secured a prestigious Guinness World Record after building a drone capable of reaching incredible speeds of more than 388mph.
Leaving even the fastest hypercars in its wake, including the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut — which luxury lifestyle publication Robb Report claims has a theoretical top speed of 330mph — Ben’s creation has reached velocities surpassing half the speed of sound (approximately 767mph).
Ben's quest began after watching a YouTube video showcasing an incredibly rapid drone. He decided to build his own as “a bit of a fun project”, setting his sights on outperforming the original.
The Australian explained to Supercar Blondie: "It started as a personal project, it was just a bit of a fun project. I saw that video and it inspired me. I just thought it would be fun to try and beat it, and I think I've got the knowledge to do it."
In his professional life, Ben constructs drones for drone photography company XM2, contributing to notable productions such as John Wick 4. He was also able to use the company’s workspace while developing the record-breaking drone.
An initial prototype was built over several months and reached speeds of 280mph, prompting Ben to push the project further.
The final drone took 18 months to complete, with Ben handling every aspect of the build himself. While the project began as a self-funded endeavour, he later secured sponsorship from Drone Pro Hub.
Discussing the power behind the engineering feat, Ben highlighted what he described as “one of the biggest challenges”.
He explained: “The peak power is about 16 kilowatts, and trying to squeeze that much power into such a small frame is one of the biggest challenges.”
According to its specifications, the drone weighs roughly 4.4lbs, measures 15.7 inches long and 9.8 inches high, and — perhaps most remarkably — is reported to boast around “ten times the power-to-weight ratio of an F1 car”.
Ben, who broke the record on December 17, revealed: “The drone hit an official top speed of 626km/h (388mph), but I have got it up to 655km/h (406mph) flying downwind.”
Elsewhere, drones made headlines for a very different reason on December 19, when reports emerged that they had been used to collect whale breath to assess the animals’ health.
Researchers piloted drones fitted with what the BBC described as “special kit” through the marine mammals’ distinctive ‘blows’ as they surfaced, leading to the discovery of a deadly virus.
Cetacean morbillivirus is reportedly highly contagious and can cause disease and “mass deaths”. Professor Terry Dawson of King's College London hailed this sampling technique as a "game-changer."
He stated: "It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical insights into diseases in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems.”