Drones are making a statement

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) controls the broadcast of each event, and it is their mission to improve the delivery of the competition. If you’ve been watching the 2026 Winter Olympics, the use of FPV (First-Person View) drones are changing the experience.

“We look at this as an evolution of the sport,” said IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey. “The expectation of everyone today is to have this kind of experience when you consume a sports event, even more so for the Olympic Games.”

The high-pitched sound of these small aircraft has become just another element of the audiovisual landscape, for both the athlete and audience. They have been introduced in events such as alpine skiing, snowboard big air and sliding sports, where they track competitors inside the icy chute.

For 2028 Los Angeles, will drones be flying head-high alongside the sailing events? Will athletes need ear plugs to reduce their whine? Standing by.

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program (July 16-28):
First Week – July 16-20
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA

Second Week – July 23-28
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 – Los Angeles, CA
Men’s Skiff – 49er – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 – Los Angeles, CA

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