All great stuff until folks start getting injured by these.

.

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Folks already get injured quite a bit by the motorcycles. No need to be afraid of new technology when it betters our lives.

Won't replace motos. You aren't going to fly a drone 6" off the ground to get a picture of the peloton. You'll always want close up shots at eye level and I don't see Drones doing that. But, you will see cameras in the Peloton (and have already seen a bit of this), mounted on bikes. Then question is whether you'll see drones replacing Helicopters or not. With some improved technology, that may happen

Drones to police Tris? First off, why aren't helis used now? Then, if they won't use Helis, why would they use Drones? I'm not sure anyone, other than triathletes care that much about drafting. I don't think we see a lot of it in the Pro ranks. After that, who cares, no money is changing hands.

---

BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

I think drones can be used for great close up shots, safely. As the previous poster mentioned: motos already cause accidents and they clutter the road. Drones can provide hi-def, up-close footage with little interference. And then on-bike cameras can be used for eye-level footage.

For tris, drones can get quite a bit closer than a helicopter and are drastically cheaper, so policing tris with drones is not equivalent to policing tris with helicopters.

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

There are far more qualified motorcycle drivers with motorcycles, willing to donate their time than there are drone operators with drones who are willing to donate their time.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

So would love to have you just brainstorm with us to see if this could be done without worrying about would it make any sense. Give it a try, it really is fun to think outside the box on things.

There is the possibility that your statement will be outdated within the next year with the price of drones dropping. And, a dozen drones can be in more places at once than several motorcycles can and they don't put off exhaust.

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

They don't use helicopters because they cost 2k an hour to run. Drones would be much cheaper.

A dozen motorcycles can be in the same number of places as a dozen drones :) And as with motorcycles drone personnel need to be distributed around the course. Most commercial drones only have a range of 10-15KM.

I don't think the technology (motorcycle or drone) is the limiting factor. People still need to be qualified to operate them and understand the rules and be qualified to enforce them.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

2024

I'm not seeing a dozen motorcycles at many races.... And the comment about being qualified to operate: people have to be qualified to operate a motorcycle.

Are drones really unrealistic, or, like many comments regarding new technology on these boards, are commentors just prone to dislike change? It's not change for change's sake, but change for better outcomes: less cluttered courses, better video coverage and better tri policing.

Is it fair to observe that many posters on these boards possess process oriented strategic orientations and it is this orientation that is at odds with goal oriented orientations, as represented by ideas like drones for coverage/policing, and this disposition leads to impassioned responses from the process oriented individuals that often come across as angry?

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

It's not the technology or being against it, it's a simple fact. The technology isn't what limits the number of officials out on course. It's actually having the people qualified to do so available and willing to do it.

Whether that person is driving a motorcycle or operating a drone is irrelevant, you still need the person.

You're not seeing a dozen motorcycles because most places don't have that many qualified riders and officials available.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

For tri policing:
-Drones have a limited control range and endurance - Motos can last for hours
-Drones aren't safe to use near large and small airports - Motors are fine.
-People along the race route probably wouldn't want overflights by drones, so you'd have legal issues - Motos operate on public roads, and so don't have issues.
-Drones require recharging, so you'd need multiple drones per site - Motos can be recharged in minutes.
-HD video (which you'd need to identify people) requires a TON of bandwidth, which you're not going to be able to acquire for a casual event like a tri. Motos have the decisionmakers on-bike, and so don't need transmission beyond a voice radio.
-In the US, the FAA has been taking a very dim view of drone usage for commercial purposes - Motos are obviously legal.
-If there's any wind at all, your drones are probably grounded. Motos can operate in any conditions that the competitors can.

If they cost more to police a tri, it's a non-starter. The tri community has clearly voted with their wallets that they don't give a fart about drafting - check out the success of IM despite the rampant drafting.

For commercial photos at a triathlon drones are good - you can keep them in one area you have permission to operate in, can take lots of photos before the battery runs out, you wouldn't need bandwidth beyond command/control bandwidth. Still have the FAA issue in the states though.

For Tour coverage, they're perfect - I wouldn't be surprised to see them in use for dangerous areas like descents or confined areas like the cobblestones. Grand tours make enough money to get around the legal/permitting issues.

---

STAC Zero Trainer - Zero noise, zero tire contact, zero moving parts. Suffer in Silence starting fall 2016

well, it's not a simple fact. it's just your hypothesis. Is it because of limited available volunteers or is it due to limited availability of motorcycles? How many people with an interest in triathlon own a motorcycle vs. the potential number of cyclists and triathletes who already use GoPros who, in the near future, will own and use drones?

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

Good feedback! You don't think many of your points won't apply to drones being used in pro tour races? If so, why not?

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

The fact is that you need people with motorcycles, or drones, or riding around on horses, who are qualified to enforce the rules and are willing and available to work the race.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

I numbered by bits:
1) Grand tours can afford multiple drones
2) Grand tours can use alternate camera sources near airports. A drone-only policing regime would be forced to have a stock of motos on hand, thus defeating the advantages (are there any?) of switching to drones
3) Same as the airports - they can afford to use drones when permitted, motos when not.
4) See [1]. They can also afford to have mobile base stations
5) As shown by the TdF's current use of helis, they already have access to the needed bandwidth and expertise to use it.
6) They can afford to get an exemption, and the new angles would make it worth it
7) See [2] and [3] - TdF can afford to have flexibility.

The huge advantage of drones for a grand tour is that they're cheaper than helicopters to get approximately the same aerial shots. I can't see a huge advantage for tri operators.

---

STAC Zero Trainer - Zero noise, zero tire contact, zero moving parts. Suffer in Silence starting fall 2016

The italics and bold were a nice touch, but see the second part of my question: How many people with an interest in triathlon own a motorcycle vs. the potential number of cyclists and triathletes who already use GoPros who, in the near future, will own and use drones?

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

Thanks again, great thoughts

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

Add to that are qualified to ref a race and willing to do so when they themselves are not racing or training.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

Good point, but is there a chance that there are more DC Rainmaker-following tri-geeks out there who have a love for all things GoPro and Drones (hey, Rappstar has drone) that do or are incentivized to become qualified to ref races and fly their little drones (or bigger and longer lasting drones) around at races, doubling as race officials and camera crews?

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

There is always a chance. That is why I continue to buy lottery tickets ;)

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

well, I'll put good money on there being drones officiating tri races over you (or anyone on these messageboards) winning the lottery...

---

wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

On the Pro Tour side of things I think you'll see things happen quicker. Some riders are already riding with cameras this year and drones in strategic locations for broadcasting is a lot easier to implement for a broadcaster than your local RD.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca