Just remembering how freaking gnarly that was when Marcel Hirscher almost suffered a direct hit from a 22lbs drone mid-race at Madonna di Campiglio. This is the reason broadcast drones are no longer allowed at ski races:
“The 22lbs drone was carrying a camera that was being used for the broadcast. It came crashing onto the course from a height of 65 feet. If that sized payload had hit Marcel Hirscher the consequences could have been dire, let alone the fact that it had spinning blades.
Markus Waldner agreed to drone use at the race in Madonna di Campiglio but the drone pilot was not supposed to fly directly over the course. The drone pilot was instructed to maintain a 50-foot distance from the racer and to stay clear of the racecourse but obviously, he did not follow either of those instructions.
Hirscher finished the race and took to social media with a light hearted post, but later in his blog he wrote,“Quite honestly, if I look at the pictures from the drone crash on the internet, I get sweaty palms and tremble.”