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.

 

[jmdirt]

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.

Wait, its OK to have images of spectators from heli, moto, and autos, but not drones? That can't be accurate.

MTB world cups (XC and DH) have most of the spectators in the drone footage. Red Bull rampage, etc. have most of the spectators in the footage. CX has most of the spectators in the footage...I could go on.

 

[andrew_s]

Wait, its OK to have images of spectators from heli, moto, and autos, but not drones? That can't be accurate.

MTB world cups (XC and DH) have most of the spectators in the drone footage. Red Bull rampage, etc. have most of the spectators in the footage. CX has most of the spectators in the footage...I could go on.

It's not about having the spectators on the drone footage, it's about not having the drone crash on them.
I think that if you review your MTB/CX drone footage, you'll find that everyone close to the course is event staff (marshals, paramedics etc).

 

[jmdirt]

It's not about having the spectators on the drone footage, it's about not having the drone crash on them.
I think that if you review your MTB/CX drone footage, you'll find that everyone close to the course is event staff (marshals, paramedics etc).

Two things:

1) Fly them over the road if they are worried.
2) There are millions of hours of of drone footage, and how many crashes? It just isn't a thing.

They have displays with 25,000 drones synchronized, but a dozen can't be controlled safely following a bike race. I'm not buying it.

I realize that you don't make the rules/laws, but I call BS on whoever does.