Only a month after engineer Benjamin Biggs broke the 626 km/h record, the Bells duo have reclaimed the top spot with their new Peregreen V4 drone.
South African duo Luke and Mike Bell have reclaimed the Guinness World Record for the fastest quadcopter. Their 3D-printed Peregreen V4 reached a top speed of 657.59 km/h.
This new record surpasses the 626 km/h mark set just a month earlier by Australian engineer Benjamin Biggs. The Bells previously set records of 480 km/h with Peregreen 2 in June 2024 and 585 km/h with Peregreen 3 in October 2025. The Peregreen V4, their fourth custom drone, returns the title to the South African duo.
Pioneering Speed in Drone Design
Luke Bell, an aerial camera operator from Cape Town, led the design and build of the Peregreen V4, collaborating closely with his father, Mike. The project reflects more than two years of ongoing refinement, testing, and redesign. While the Bells built a solar-powered drone for endless daylight flight, the Peregreen series focused on top speed.
A key part of the project was leveraging advanced 3D printing. The Peregreen V4 was built on a high-speed, dual-nozzle printer, allowing multiple materials to be combined in a single print. This let the team fine-tune strength, weight, and flexibility across the drone, including the tail and camera mount. The larger print volume also enabled the body to be printed as one continuous piece, boosting both structural integrity and aerodynamics.
Hardware Upgrades and Record-Setting Flight Tests
Several hardware upgrades also helped achieve the record. The drone uses high-speed, reliable brushless motors paired with high-power lithium-ion polymer batteries optimized for short bursts. Aerodynamics were enhanced using advanced modeling software to smooth the outer surface and reduce drag, while smaller six-inch propellers were chosen to maximize top speed, according to New Atlas.
The tests adhered to standard international procedures, with the drone flown in opposite directions to offset wind effects. The official record speed was calculated as the average of the two runs, confirming it as the fastest ground speed ever for a remotely controlled, battery-powered quadcopter.
Read the original article on: Zap.aeiou
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