Work out a racing pigeon's velocity from the race distance and flight time. Results in yards per minute (ypm) and metres per minute (m/min) — the same formula PigeonIQ uses to score every race.
Velocity
How it works
Pigeon racing velocity is the bird's average speed over the race distance, expressed in yards per minute (ypm): velocity = distance ÷ flight time.
Distance is measured from the liberation point to the loft in a straight line (great-circle distance). Flight time is from liberation to the moment the pigeon is clocked. The same formula PigeonIQ uses to score every race.
In pigeon racing, velocity is the average speed of the bird over the race distance, measured in yards per minute (ypm). It is the standard by which every pigeon in a race is compared and ranked.
The formula is simple: velocity = distance ÷ flight time. Distance is the straight-line (great-circle) distance from the liberation point to the loft. Flight time is from the moment of liberation to the moment the pigeon is clocked at home.
British and Irish fanciers traditionally use yards per minute. To convert to the metric standard used by Belgian, Dutch and other European fanciers, multiply ypm by 0.9144 to get metres per minute.
Velocity is the pigeon's average speed over the race, expressed in yards per minute (ypm): velocity = distance ÷ flight time. Distance is measured in a straight line from the liberation point to the loft (great-circle distance), and flight time is from liberation to when the bird is clocked.
A typical middle-distance race under good conditions sees velocities around 1,200–1,500 yards per minute. Very fast tailwind races can exceed 1,800 ypm, while difficult channel races with headwinds may drop below 1,000 ypm. Every race is different and weather is the dominant factor.
Yards per minute (ypm) is the traditional measure used by British and Irish pigeon racing. Metres per minute (m/min) is the metric equivalent and is widely used in Belgium, the Netherlands and other European countries. One metre equals 1.0936 yards, so m/min is always lower than ypm.
Yes. This calculator is free and always will be. PigeonIQ also calculates live velocity automatically during a race when you use the mobile app's race-day tools with a paid Pro plan.