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Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

bbc.com

41–50 of 167 posts

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#41

I think the title should be updated a bit here. When I read "drone nearly hits" I imagined it flying by and getting to close on the way passed. The video shows it crashing to the ground with some force. It isn't clear whether this is under its own power (so an issue in directional control by either a pilot error or equipment fault) or due to loss of power (so it hit the ground due to gravity). Either way it could hav…

Perhaps 'crashes near skier' ?

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#42

It must be technically possible to prevent a drone from flying below a certain altitude. Probably one of the many features that will be added to drones in the coming years.

If the power cuts out and the drone is falling out of the sky, how useful is a software rule which is dependent on a computer that is now offline, a non-functioning altimeter and a set of dead engines? (Spoiler: not very much)

But of course, such thing would never happen. (Except it just did.)

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#43
post #7

It was an official TV-video-quadcopter from an Italian local TV company. The FIS was initially okay with it. The quadcopter operater has a pilot license and was suposed to fly only in a specific corridor with no visitors nor athletes underneath. Though, the quadcopter (intentionally?) left the corridore several times in the minutes before the crash (for better videos?). https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=de&sl…

There is no proof that the airbag was responsible for his injuries and at least the German version of the news article isn't making any accusations like this.

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#44
post #11

It must be technically possible to prevent a drone from flying below a certain altitude. Probably one of the many features that will be added to drones in the coming years.

Perhaps this is possible with a software update, but it doesn't fix the standards to which the drone was mechanically constructed. Other commercial flying objects are rigorously safety tested for their ability to remain in the air despite different mechanical failures. Without the same standards applied to drones, we are likely to continue to see near-misses or full accidents happen. (Note: I'm not weighing in for or…

Good point - the weakest point of current drones is that the same power source is used for engines and control, without any redundancy.

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#45

...and won that one, big time: nowadays, just suggest that the road is not exclusively owned by cars, and watch the foaming-at-the-mouth flamewar.

Eh. Times have changed. In many cities you are the idiot if you are in a car.

Times are changing, thankfully; but it's not possible to just revert a century of car-centered city planning. This will still take decades :(

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#47
post #7

It was an official TV-video-quadcopter from an Italian local TV company. The FIS was initially okay with it. The quadcopter operater has a pilot license and was suposed to fly only in a specific corridor with no visitors nor athletes underneath. Though, the quadcopter (intentionally?) left the corridore several times in the minutes before the crash (for better videos?). https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=de&sl…

The last part is FUD.

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#48
post #22
post #7

It was an official TV-video-quadcopter from an Italian local TV company. The FIS was initially okay with it. The quadcopter operater has a pilot license and was suposed to fly only in a specific corridor with no visitors nor athletes underneath. Though, the quadcopter (intentionally?) left the corridore several times in the minutes before the crash (for better videos?). https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=de&sl…

Wow, it was news for me that athletes wear airbags.

Dainese (and others) have made airbags for professional motorcycle racers for several years now too. It's quite interesting tech.

Re: Skier almost hit by camera drone in World Cup slalom

#49
post #20

Bad risk taking drone pilots are incredibly irritating, because they will ruin it for the decent pilots.

It is only a matter of time before decent pilots make mistakes. So what you are saying is that the risk-taking pilots are closing the "window of unregulated flying" a little bit faster than you'd like to see. Eventually, that window will be closed nonetheless.
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