Drones are the new hot commodities in the videography world. All around the globe, you’ll be able to see these bots buzzing around over almost any big event. They’ve created a completely new way to go about filming and broadcasting, so why would France want to put an anti-drone technology into effect next month?
From June 10th to July 10th, the Euro 2016 will be overtaking numerous cities around France. During this time, there will be a no-fly zone created over and around the 10 stadiums and each of the 24 training grounds.
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The reasoning? To keep everyone involved with the month-long event safe from any potential harm. The Euro 2016 will be the largest sporting event since the attacks in Paris that took place last November. While there’s no specific reason why they would think a drone would put the people in danger, they’d rather be prepared for anything.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Ziad Khoury, security chief for the Euro 2016, said “The idea is not to destroy the drones, because there could be collateral damage, notably if they crashed into the public. It is to prevent them from flying over the stadiums and perhaps to arrest their pilots.”
This isn’t the first time drones have become a no-no during large sporting events. During Superbowl 50, the city of Santa Clara put forth a half-mile drone ban over and around Levi’s Stadium to eliminate any potential danger.
Even though drones have been getting excluded from these major events, they’ve been providing new opportunities for the coaches, players and fans. In the NFL for example, the overhead angles give a strategic aerial look at the plays unfolding during games and practices.
The game of golf has also been able to use drones to its advantage. The birdlike view gives golfers a chance to see their swings and drives at a brand new angle. In addition, The Golf Channel has been taking full advantage of these drones by giving viewers incredible overhead shots of the entire course in between shots.
While they are getting the boot from the bigger, international events, drones are quickly becoming new strategic and content creation tools in the sports world.