Overview
- Olympic Broadcasting Services has integrated about 25 drones—15 first-person-view units plus 10 traditional aircraft—across most events, supplying feeds to NBC, CBC and other rights-holders.
- Chase cams fly behind athletes under protocols developed with federations, with each drone run by a three-person crew and some pilots drawn from former athletes such as ex–ski jumper Jonas Sandell.
- The custom FPV craft reach roughly 120 km/h and can track sliding sports near 90 mph, delivering an on-course perspective that better conveys speed, line choice and terrain.
- The high-pitched drone noise has split viewer reaction and prompted occasional athlete proximity concerns, though many competitors report not noticing the devices; one drone crash during early downhill training left debris on the course.
- Cold-weather battery life is short—often about two athlete runs—forcing constant swaps and the use of heated support cabins with charging stations to keep flights on schedule.