Drones - the future of Ski Vid?

[CarolB]

My home Mtn (Big White, BC ) is advertising that you can get filmed by a Drone this week- $50 USD/$64 CAD. Kinda bizarre. I have no idea of what I look like skiing so maybe this might be a cool thing to try or maybe those kind of things are best left unseen ;)

https://www.capehq.com/bigwhite

On the other hand- is this just another glimpse at the future of ski areas? We already have noisy RFID pass checking gates at the bottom (I freakin' hate that incessant beeping) and now the skies will be full of the hum of drones??? Human nature I suppose.

 

[altagirl]

I love the RFID gates. I honestly don't even know if ours beep or not. I don't think they do. I do hate the handheld scanners that beep, only because they seem to work so inconsistently.

That said, drones flying around ski slopes sound like a horrible idea. I realize I probably end up on videos when people are using go pros and whatnot, but that feels less obvious. Last thing I need is for me or people skiing around me to be focusing on a moving object in the air instead of where they are going on the slopes. (Whether it's too make sure they are being filmed or to avoid it or are worried about it crashing, whatever) Yikes. Using it out in an isolated area seems a lot safer to me.

 

[Christy]

I can't remember if ours beep or not either! I'm not sure they do--I think we just might only get the turning of the turnstile to let us know we've been scanned.

This:

or maybe those kind of things are best left unseen ;)

 

[CarolB]

Yeah, our RFID gates beep so you know to go and they do a different beep for "busted" or "error". All together too many beeps and I was going to ask if they have an option that only beeps when there's an issue. Kinda irritating to me and do you really need a "go Beep" when the gate swings open anyway? Duh.

As for the Drone, looks like I'm gonna find out what that's all like as I entered the contest for a free drone filming and they called to say I won. Still not sure if that's good or bad though as I like my "style" in my head but I'm fairly sure it's not so stylish in reality!

It's been "wet snowing" on and off for the past day or so and is supposed to have more tonite/tommorrow so there will hopefully be good groomed conditions this weekend.

 

[Dtrick924]

I wonder if drones would be more or less distracting than selfie sticks. Seeing someone skiing done the mountain with one of those held out in front of them makes me nervous. I think they can't possibly be paying attention to where they are going.

 

[sibhusky]

Interesting. There are runs here where it would be fine. For a week.

 

[AltaEgo]

Cell phones on the hill are getting to be a problem. My students and I have had some pretty close calls almost colliding with parents who are video taping their kids skiing using their cell phones. Lots of lift loading and unloading incidents due to using cell phones while loading and unloading. I can't imagine these same people having drones! For what it is worth, I have no problem with helmet or chest mounted GoPros. But I see the same narrow view-finder focus with the GoPros on a stick.

 

[RX2SKI]

My home Mtn (Big White, BC ) is advertising that you can get filmed by a Drone this week- $50 USD/$64 CAD. Kinda bizarre. I have no idea of what I look like skiing so maybe this might be a cool thing to try or maybe those kind of things are best left unseen ;)

https://www.capehq.com/bigwhite

On the other hand- is this just another glimpse at the future of ski areas? We already have noisy RFID pass checking gates at the bottom (I freakin' hate that incessant beeping) and now the skies will be full of the hum of drones??? Human nature I suppose.

That's actually a pretty good deal. I would rather spend $50 on a video to show my sister where I've been taking my niece and nephew than a single digital photo at SharpShooter. Sounds like they might be onto something good here.

 

[CarolB]

Well, I finally got the link to my Drone Video- kinda cool!

Definitely not my best performance as it wasn't the kind of skiing I usually do and was pretty darn firmo that day. Wish I could have done the rollier section (above where the filming start is) and then get into the steeper lower section so as to get more flow or see what I really ski like with the "play factor" showing in the rollers/trees.

There were some restrictions with the drone use that does make it tough to get the perfect vid for yourself- we had to use a shorter run than I thought we'd use and weren't allowed to go into the trees on the side. They said they were restricted by being required to be in visual contact with the drone/skiers. There are a few runs on the Mtn that are more perfect for that and longer but they were being used for races/events. Because we'd do a run and then have to ski around and get back in the lineup to do another run it made it tricky to get much footage with that short run. I had wanted to get in one more that would be more GS turns as the snow softened but the lineup was too long.

My Friend did the last run with me and had the GPS receiver on her so we were supposed to stay together which didn't work to well! Too slow at the top so I had to do a million turns and then she skidded out so bailed on trying to turn and went for her normal "blast down" the mountain style so I was lost on film by the time I pointed it more too.

As a training tool- The Vid definitely shows how my left (hip surgery) side is weaker and i'm twisting it and my arm (dropping and coming in) to compensate or because of having that compensating habit for so long. So now that I've seen it I can now work on that.

Overall I think then drone is a really cool training feature and I'd try it again!

 

[RX2SKI]

I really liked that video. It's definitely a nice keepsake from a trip that will serve multiple purposes. I like the idea of being able to have several people in the video also. Thanks for sharing!

 

[WaterGirl]

This article was run again last week in the LA times on the 27th-

https://www.latimes.com/travel/cruises/sns-bc-us--travel-drones-ski-resorts-20151117-story.html

While I understand the value of using drones for coaching or training purposes, wondering how this is executed on the mountain -- ie are the runs closed off to all who are not paying customers? Seems they will need to jump thru extra permitting to use at US Forest owned property etc.
Here is the link to Cape Productions to see how it works https://www.cape.com/

Personally there is nothing more annoying than a drone in the surf line up -

 

[Christy]

Big thumbs down.

At U.S resorts, Cape Productions is expected to charge between $100 and $200 for a photo shoot that includes three runs. Within 48 hours, customers get a one-and-a-half- to two-minute, professionally edited video that incorporates aerial and landscape footage, music and shots from stationary cameras.

Like @WaterGirl I guess I can understand this as a training tool, if somehow it provides a better angle than just being filmed from the side of a run (it's not clear to me that it does). But can we just get over ourselves already? Music, professional editing? So, what, that people can post them on social media (where I have to think they will be ignored. Who else would care?).

 

[altagirl]

Someone in our neighborhood has one and flies it over the open space where there are hiking trails.

I cannot even tell you how creepy it is to be followed by a drone on a hike. They are noisy. It sounds like you're being chased by a swarm of bees. And realizing is not bees, it's someone you can't see remotely piloting this thing that is videotapeing you on your hike, and actively following you? I wanted to call the police, but realized it's probably not actually illegal. Just enormously creepy.

All I can say is that they get a lot of video of my middle finger.

If it was low enough to be in range, I'd throw rocks at it.

So, no, I'm not happy to see them at resorts either. Maybe if it's in a designated, private area somehow, but it seems really distracting and dangerous to me.

 

[ski diva]

So, no, I'm not happy to see them at resorts either. Maybe if it's in a designated, private area somehow, but it seems really distracting and dangerous to me.

+1.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

The concept of it is cool but just the concept, the reality of it is that it just seems distracting and dangerous so I agree with the others on that. I think if it were in a designated private area then it would be ok.

 

[WaterGirl]

I cannot even tell you how creepy it is to be followed by a drone on a hike. Just enormously creepy.
If it was low enough to be in range, I'd throw rocks at it.

Agree. Creepy. How about paddling out into the line up and having the drone hovering over your ass the entire time? and in your face while your are sitting on your board...... have some ideas about how to get rid of them next time it happens....

 

[VickiK]

They're horrible.

 

[Christy]

Wow, haven't seen one in real life but what @altagirl and @WaterGirl describe...that really sucks. I've heard that they have become big amongst photographers who are trying to get shots out in national forests and such--I would be extremely annoyed, at best, if I saw one. This can't be legal in wilderness, but it's not like the Forest Service has the staff to patrol millions of acres of wilderness. I have read that states are banning them for use while hunting; hopefully the law will catch up with their use elsewhere, too.

 

[WaterGirl]

Marcel Hirscher Drone Crash

THIS SUCKS. and is a prime example of why its not worth it to have Drones.

https://www.foxsports.com/olympics/...-drone-crash-world-cup-italy-run-slope-122215

 

[ski diva]

Marcel Hirscher Drone Crash

THIS SUCKS. and is a prime example of why its not worth it to have Drones.

https://www.foxsports.com/olympics/...-drone-crash-world-cup-italy-run-slope-122215

VERY very scary!

As a result, the International Ski Federation has now banned droned from its World Cup races.