Discussing Milan-Cortina? Olympic drones offer stunning views

As Canadian Megan Oldham sets out for her last race in the freeski slopestyle competition, she will be protected an olympic bronze medalThose listening to the broadcast heard a buzzing sound loud and clear.

Catching Oldham at close range was a drone, offering a new approach to Olympic sport, deployed by Olympic broadcast services.

And spectators have taken notice – from luge tracks to alpine downhill slopes.

“We strive to provide the best viewing experience, whether in or out of the stadium,” International Olympic Committee sports director Pierre Ducré said Monday.

These are not your average drones that only move up and down or sideways. They are first-person view Or FPV drones that allow high speeds to follow athletes’ every twist and turn, even matching their pitch and angle on slopes, jumps or snow.

While drones have been used in the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia, first-person view drones are new.

Drones operated by pilots wearing headsets and using controllers have been the talk of the Olympics so far.

From reaching speeds of up to 75 km/h to navigating the enclosed space of a luge track to being able to follow alpine downhill skiers, the teams behind the drone coverage have been busy.

And this is no mean achievement.

“These pilots probably haven’t put in as much time as the athletes, but in the same ballpark,” said Trevor Lyons, CBC’s chief drone pilot.

“It’s bringing the audience extremely close to the athletes. It’s almost an intimate scene and experience which is the best way to show what the athletes are increasingly facing. It’s an amazing way to bring the audience into the moment.”

Although the International Olympic Committee has not yet detailed what it will take to be able to provide this type of coverage, drone experts say hours of work has been done through simulations and at competition sites.

there is discussion about this

One criticism of the use of drones is regarding noise.

At some points during the women’s downhill final, the only noise heard on the broadcast was the sound of drone blades rotating.

Even spectators at events are hearing the whistles.

On social media, some people have compared the drone’s buzz to the vuvuzelas of the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa, where any sound was drowned out by the horns.

Then comes the reaction from the athletes.

“I went like: ‘Go away, it’s too close to us,'” said Canadian freestyle skier Julian Viel, hovering in the air as if he was swatting a fly.

“As mogul skiers, we would like to see more front-view frames so we can see what the judges see because it’s easier to differentiate.”

Still, Wiel said, “drone shots are great.”

The IOC’s Ducre says drones add great value to the Olympic experience, but it may take some getting used to.

“It’s definitely an evolution. People aren’t used to seeing shadows or hearing noises on the playground. It’s different, but the integration of (athletic) performance and we feel like we can totally manage it.”