Chinese drone enthusiast Xu Yang has set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest remote-controlled micro-quadcopter. His custom-built device, the PROWESS-V3, reached a top speed of 500.01 km/h. The drone weighs less than 246 grams, placing it within the micro-drone category defined by a maximum weight of 250 grams.
This achievement marks Xu Yang's second time holding the world record. In May 2025, he set an initial record of 340.78 km/h with his first PROWESS model. Later in 2025, a team of three 16-year-old students surpassed his mark, reaching 358.36 km/h using an optimized version of the V1.2 design, prompting Xu to develop the V3 iteration.
The PROWESS-V3 features a frame constructed from carbon fiber-reinforced nylon with a 30% fiber content. The body and tail components were 3D-printed using low-density ABS with 0.25mm nozzles to minimize weight. Xu also utilized a temperature-controlled box to heat the batteries to 50 degrees Celsius for peak power output.
To manage thermal conditions during the record attempt, Xu developed a custom drone base equipped with cooling fans to prevent overheating before takeoff. Following this successful flight, Xu stated that he plans to pause further speed development for the PROWESS series, noting that he believes the 500 km/h threshold will be difficult to surpass in the near term.
