Drafting Behind Motorcycles Out of Control?

[CyclistAbi]

It's actually becoming a possibility today to replace some motorcycles with drones.

 

[jmdirt]

If you watch the situation when the chasing group has almost caught him, you can see that their disagreements increase when he accelerates and gets closer to the motorbike in front of him.

View: https://youtu.be/fWpXOYzw3Pk?si=kMITlxTCbyESQuBg&t=301


I'm not saying it's the best case ever, but a valid example.

How can you tell how close he is though?
Is he close enough to get an advantage?
You can't see the moto.
We don't know what 'zoom' they are using.

 

[andrew_s]

It's actually becoming a possibility today to replace some motorcycles with drones.

I think you'll find it isn't.

These days there are all sorts of regulations about where and how you can fly drones.
For example, only within sight of the operator/pilot, max height ~120m, not within 50m of being above any uninvolved person (such as spectators).

I doubt you'd be permitted to put the pilot in a following car, even open topped, and anyway, the last thing needed is yet more cars.

Those races I've seen that have had drone coverage (MTB & CX mostly, though there has been the occasional road race), have all limited coverage to relatively short sections of spectator-free route (up to half a mile/800m), which isn't too bad when it's laps of a circuit, but just seeing the peloton whizz past once wouldn't be worth while in most road races.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I think you'll find it isn't.

These days there are all sorts of regulations about where and how you can fly drones.
For example, only within sight of the operator/pilot, max height ~120m, not within 50m of being above any uninvolved person (such as spectators).

I doubt you'd be permitted to put the pilot in a following car, even open topped, and anyway, the last thing needed is yet more cars.

Those races I've seen that have had drone coverage (MTB & CX mostly, though there has been the occasional road race), have all limited coverage to relatively short sections of spectator-free route (up to half a mile/800m), which isn't too bad when it's laps of a circuit, but just seeing the peloton whizz past once wouldn't be worth while in most road races.

If they decide to i feel it's possible nowadays. But indeed, a drone wouldn't push spectators out of the way so i guess motorcycles at the front of the peloton will remain for at least a while. Drones for now likely only as an enhancement in terms of media coverage.