An Ancient Tradition, Filmed by a Drone

Camels have long played an important role in many aspects of
desert life. They’re used as transportation, food, the focus of
festivals, and—in the case of the centuries old practice of camel
racing—entertainment.

The camels, one-humped dromedaries^[1], used in these races can
reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour along designated tracks.
They’re expensive to own, and no
betting is allowed during the races^[2], so the events are often
watched only by people who have skin in the game, including
sheikhs, handlers, and owners. While some fans watch races on TV,
others drive alongside the animals, controlling robot jockeys and
urging their camels to go faster.

The robots rose in popularity in recent years, partly due to the
age requirements for jockeys that were enacted after investigators
uncovered a decades-long system of child smuggling and slavery
within the racing community. The children, often taken from
Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sudan, were targeted for their extremely
small size. It’s thought that, at one point, there were tens of
thousands of enslaved children forced into the dangerous sport.