This DIY Drone Just Shattered The Record For Fastest In The World

The world's largest drone maker, DJI — which is facing a potential ban in the U.S. — is also known for making some of the most advanced consumer and prosumer drones currently available for purchase. DJI drones are known for their advanced camera capabilities, stabilization, and obstacle avoidance features.  And while its fastest drone models (the DJI FPV) could officially hit impressive speeds of up to 87 mph, these numbers look comically slow compared to the speeds the fastest drones on the planet have achieved.

As of December 2025, the Guinness World Record for the world's fastest drone is held by a DIY drone created by an Australian drone enthusiast named Benjamin Biggs. His self-made drone recently achieved a verified, insane top speed of 626 km/h (389.24 mph). The drone went even faster, reaching a downwind top speed of 655 km/h (407 mph), but because this speed was wind-assisted, it is not officially recognized as the fastest self-propelled speed. 

Previously, Ben and his sponsor, Drone Pro Hub, also claimed that they had set an unofficial record for the fastest average speed for a drone after Ben's drone hit an average speed of 585.5 km/h (363.8 mph). This average was calculated after flying the drone in two directions in quick succession. The previous record for the fastest average speed by a drone was 580 km/h (360.3 mph), which was set by Dubai Police in November 2025, barely a month ago, using a drone called the Peregreen 3.

It's important to note that this record applies to electric, propeller-driven multirotor drones, not jet-powered military UAVs or fixed-wing aircraft, which are much faster.

While there's no denying that Benjamin's self-made drone is the current record holder for being the fastest in the world, a quick glance at the world of uber-fast drones would make you realize one thing. We are currently in the midst of an intense race between multiple DIY drone enthusiasts, all of whom are working on one goal: to make the world's fastest drone. This becomes evident once you look at the frequency at which these records are being set. 

Benjamin's record of the fastest ground speed ever achieved by a drone was set on December 8, 2025. His unofficial average speed record of (363.8 mph) was achieved in the same month (November 2025); the Dubai police drone hit an average speed of 360.3 mph. Going back just a year ago — to May 2024 — and reports from the era make it clear that the fastest drones back then could "only" manage to hit speeds of 479 km/h (298 mph), meaning the top speed has jumped by over 30% in a year.

Digging a bit deeper would reveal that several others are also actively working on creating a new "fastest drone". As recently as April 2025, the Guinness World Record holder for the world's fastest drone was Samuele Gobbi, a student at the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture. His drone set the record by hitting a top speed of 557.64 km/h (346.5 mph). The creator of the Peregreen 3 drone, famously tested by Dubai Police, is a father-and-son duo, Mike Bell and Luke Maximo Bell, who have a long history of setting speed records with quadcopters. As we enter 2026, chances are high we'll see existing records crushed by newer, faster drones.