Frank 993 C4S

When we called theses things RC planes, nobody cared about them. Scheesh - Now that we call them Drones, everybody gets excited. Whether areal video and photography is allowed on the track should be up to the track operator and the event organizers. I like the rules that Todd suggested and I think areal video footage is awesome.

gobuffs

Hope this link works... http://blog.motorsportreg.com/regula...k#.VRvWk4Y8LCQ

LexVan

Slightly OT, but how much would it cost to buy a quality drone like this? Where do I learn to fly it? Thanks.

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jhg41977

I have no issue with it if used as you mentioned. I'd love to see aerials of our events.

Otto Mechanic

I can't say I'm either for or against it, I can't see much real risk of it being an irritation or something worse, at the same time there's no obvious benefit either. Perhaps you'd get a more positive response if you could explain how the equipment benefits the club and drivers? Would you make your footage available for review and purchase? I imagine it might be cool to be able to cut in footage from a GoPro in the car with aerial. It might also be useful for instructors somehow.

When I used to race men's downhill (skiing) we'd do video days once in a while and sit down after training and the coaches would go over our runs with us. Don't know how much good that would do for DE's though. Anyway, you get the idea; it might help to find some ways it would benefit the drivers and maybe coaches.

Then I suppose there's always those instant replays of rule violations ...

breljohn

Aerial footage would be amazing.
A good set of rules (with appropriate sanctions...) is obviously much needed.
I'm in favor of drones at the track

Veloce Raptor

It's all well and good until one accidentally ends up on track and in the path of cars...

LexVan

Is there a flag for that?

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TXE36

As much as I like the tech in drones and the undoubtedly awesome photo platforms they could be, I'm in the no camp. There is enough going on at the track that I don't think it needs the possibility of something just dropping out of the sky onto the racing surface or near enough to it to be a distraction.

The other angle here is the drone behavior you are describing applies when the machine is operating correctly. It's a machine, built by man, running code, written by man - there will be bugs and depart from control issues, even if rare.

Now, with all that said, I could lighten up my view of drone operation if it were limited to a professional (whatever that is) and not the general track population for the purposes of aerial photography.

-Mike

J richard

A friend of mine got together with a few other racers and had their on tracks done by drone at the NASA nationals last year. Results were awesome. The issue is they would have to be operated just like photographers at the track, registered insured and not just anyone out with one. As long as it was discussed in the drivers meeting so as not to be surprised by it, and it was not over the track I see no issue. I've been suprised and alarmed by regular photographers at risky locations near the track, even to the point of altering my line, a drone would be less of a concern. They do give you a very good POV. I wish I had an overhead of a hot lap, you could see exactly your line, car placement, braking the whole thing, laid over with telemetry from a track mate would be an awesome coaching tool.

A few years back I flew a helicopter around Indy at the F1 race during practice, the amount of TV choppers, boom and cable cameras makes a drone look like a really good idea. The bottom line is this is the same discusion going on about Civi/commercial drone use with the FAA right now. Lots of things to be worked out and same arguments about who, what, when, where....

Der ABT

Wait isn't this what you teach people to do with their car???


I am on the fence.....can't help to think one will go wrong...have 4-6 spinning blades...10 pounds of pointy metal vs a 60-160mph impact (160 for my e stock top speed of course)......or into spectators etc....

Granted I've seen alot of them at tracks lately with no issues....I'm not willing to say 99-100% there will not be an issue.....radio interference....wind...etc...things happen
also may cause Kai to pack up the trailer...


But also feel they are really cool pics and video they capture....

Van had a really cool camera thingy that follows you as you go around...tripod set up for a stationary camera....would be sweet to have a few of those at the track but I know they aren't Cheap

I still voted yes to allow certain people to use drones...could maybe do some trial periods for when track is cold or whatever....or use a tether to ensure they cannot reach our on track....overkill yes but I don't want to hit a bug that Big.....if only we could tether all the deer and groundhogs

Good discussion though

Gary R.

Or some bozo visitor to the track thinks it's funny to crash his into another one, or the GPS fails and it flies into a windshield at 130 MPH, or or or.. no thank you.

Veloce Raptor

Yep. Bad bad idea

ir_fuel

I've seen one do just that a couple of months ago ...

PPo

Slightly OT:

I thought a DRONE was autonomous and followed instructions like: GO HERE, GO THERE, HOVER at 100 FEET, then COME BACK. A flying RC copter, or plane, is controlled by a pilot at all times.

I dunno... I played with RC planes and Helicopters when I was a kid... regardless of how good a pilot you are, these things are simply not built to fly reliably. Most are too small to be controllable when a heavy wind gust comes around.

I would trust a programmed drone to hover above a pre-determined point for the purpose of photography, radio transmit, or security at any track event.

I would not trust any airborne RC device/toy controlled by humans at any track event.

Besides, can't you guys in the US just bring a gun to shoot down the flying toys? ;-)