Drone photography is getting really popular now, theres loads about them on the internet etc. Some of the pictures are stunning, and a decent birds eye view from places a helicopter couldn’t get to.

 
Authorities all over the world are looking at trying to legislate against these with privacy and safety fears. Which, is understandable really.
 
But if the safety fears could be realised, ie: not directly over the circuit and not too low to cause any distraction. The photos from these things could be pretty spectacular at the TT. Particular video, say, just behind a rider (So as not to be in peripheral vision), at near rider height following up the mountain (Would need to be a fast one  )
 
What say you?

My mate on the Island has bought one and started posting footage.
Granada reports used his footage of the Laxey Wheel on the TV recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX-jwc-ZHTQ

Some more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynRaCHR-W-M

Can't see it happening for a long time. Improvements in gyro's and other radio control tech has made them possible but they still have to be piloted. Only any good all the time you have good line of sight and a good perspective view.
Current drones are designed for shooting static or slow moving subjects.
A lot of the shots from drones at sporting events aren't actually drones but cameras fitted to wires or long arms.
Imagine what would happen if one got out of control in the wind on the mountain!

Was talking to a chap that had one and had been in to them from when they first came out and he had been using it professionally for some time doing pictures and footage for estate agents selling property, and was doing well and he was showing me how it worked, he was saying that it had come on in leaps and bounds over the last three years with a lot of cheaper drones coming on to the market but that they were very limited. To what you cold do with them but the one he had was a singing dancing jobby that with the camera the laptop the drone it's self you were in to 3.5k + well out of reach of a poor retired Yorkshire Lad

The Drone and Gopro in the fotage I posted are about £1500.00 all in.
Not a bad price for the quality they produce.

Personally I would like to see a blanket ban during practices and races. For every competent pilot there will be a thousand who are not. As a marshal I don't want to tell someone that it is dangerous because I think it is too windy when somebody else in another sector says it'll be ok if they keep it off the circuit etc . Having seen a model helicopter smash itself into a thousand pieces when it was caught by a gust of wind, picking up bits of carbon fibre, plastic and aluminium off the circuit during a race is too hazardous.
Dogsbody

I am with dogsbody on this. It is bad enough trying to get fans not to use their flash every year, never mind operating their UFO's with 10 cans of Stella on board.

Can you get one that will lift 20 stone and fly from Liverpool to IOM if so Im in.
Put it on auto and send your bike over

I with Dogsbody on this one , all motorsport has its risks this is just another introducing another risk element. Go watch the racing if you want to see more buy the Duke cd when you come home.

I know its not quite the same but I was fortunate to be able to go to a Roger Daltrey concert and someone a few rows in front of me had one of these large I pad Thingys ( I am not a techno geek ) and watched the screen the whole time while he record the concert, why even bother going if you are going to do this .
Going to a live gig then watching it on a hand held TV priceless  

(20-12-2014, 11:24 AM)Kursaal Flyer Wrote: I with Dogsbody on this one , all motorsport has its risks this is just another introducing another risk element. Go watch the racing if you want to see more buy the Duke cd when you come home.

I know its not quite the same but I was fortunate to be able to go to a Roger Daltrey concert and someone a few rows in front of me had one of these large I pad Thingys ( I am not a techno geek ) and watched the screen the whole time while he record the concert, why even bother going if you are going to do this .
Going to a live gig then watching it on a hand held TV priceless  

Agreed about looking at a screen at a live event. I use to be big time into my photography in 35mm days, but it got to the point where I came away from a race meeting thinking, 'I dont feel I have seen anything live'.

I suggest anyone thinking of using one of these Drones really should have a good read of this first http://www.bmfa.org/Multi-Rotors. And paying particular attention to this bit, Ensure that appropriate liability insurance cover is in place to protect you in the event of an incident leading to a claim against you.

(12-12-2014, 12:08 PM)rutolander Wrote: Can you get one that will lift 20 stone and fly from Liverpool to IOM if so Im in.
Put it on auto and send your bike over

Good plan!!

Restricted airspace during races means they cant be used, not to mention restrictions on using them where members of the public are and despite the blurb they do clear of on their own.

I noticed a dangerous trend at last years race, and i guess they'll be more of it this year. Selfie-Sticks. People sticking their phones on the end of them and prodding them out into the road way trying to capture "action shots"

Agree RichW, just look at 'tour de farce', should be called 'dead sticks' (as in they give us a better view of the dead), having said that, they can, and do capture great footage in 'controlled' environments. Have you seen the lily drone?

Richard

E&OE

I'd rather hit a drone than Hutchinson, said Michael...   I made a bit up....

I nearly hit a scary thing, said Michael... The 'camera' is with us.

It would be a shame to spoil the toes on the edge on the track feeling, unrivaled personally, I feel that any move towards drones would push the spectators away from the action. As will idiots with dead sticks.....

(20-12-2014, 11:24 AM)Kursaal Flyer Wrote: I with Dogsbody on this one , all motorsport has its risks this is just another introducing another risk element. Go watch the racing if you want to see more buy the Duke cd when you come home.

I know its not quite the same but I was fortunate to be able to go to a Roger Daltrey concert and someone a few rows in front of me had one of these large I pad Thingys ( I am not a techno geek ) and watched the screen the whole time while he record the concert, why even bother going if you are going to do this .
Going to a live gig then watching it on a hand held TV priceless  

Good point, this, I stopped taking a camera to race meetings, I realised I was not watching the racing, just seeing it through the camera lens, and losing the whole point of being there !