The Drone Racing League has grown rapidly, thanks to a deal with ESPN and new, more spectator- and competitor-friendly DRL Racer 3. The new model, used by all pilots to ensure races are strictly a test of pilot skill, is more crash resistant and easier for spectators to follow.

BMW's linkup with drone racing might seem a bit odd, but the company said drone racing isn't that far removed from motorsports. "[It] is a very competitive type of racing, characterized by the interplay of extremely high-performance material and digital technology," said BMW Brand Experience head Jörg Reimann. DRL hinted that the Munich race will happen in BMW's international automobile museum near Olympiapark.