Remembering When A Drone Nearly Crashed Into A Ski Racer On Live TV
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Drones are everywhere seemingly everywhere nowadays, but there's one professional sports organization that has banned them from all events- The Federation of International Skiing (FIS).
The FIS is skiing's governing body, responsible for creating rules and regulations for alpine skiing, cross-country, and snowboarding events across the world.
The organization banned the use of aerial drones after a drone nearly struck Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher during a 2015 race in Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy. The video has gone viral several times, and is still shocking to this day. See below:
According to a 2015 article by The Associated Press, the drone was carrying a TV camera and was being used for live coverage.
It's unclear what caused it to crash, but race director Markus Waldner told the AP that the drone operator was not supposed to fly directly over the course.
Hirscher, who was uninjured in the incident, told the AP that he "felt something" but assumed it was either a course worker or a gate. He expressed a level of concern after learning that it was a drone that crashed just inches behind him (via AP):
"“I am very relieved that nothing happened,” Hirscher said. “You don’t want to think about what could have happened when 10 kilograms (22 pounds) are coming down 20 meters (65 feet). That would have been a very serious, bad injury. There are a lot of cool things nowadays. But you have to guarantee the safety — and that was just insane.”
Hirchser was a premiere athlete on the World Cup circuit at the time of the incident. It would have been a PR nightmare had he been injured.
Nearly every major ski movie production studio utilizes drones to film aerial shots. The logistics of operating a modern drone have made the use of helicopters all but obsolete. With that said, it seems unlikely that drones will make a comeback to FIS events anytime soon.
If you're ever feeling nervous about skiing a run in the future just remember that it could be worse. You could be all-time great Marcel Hirscher competing in a nighttime World Cup slalom race with a 20+ pound drone aiming to take your head off.
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