Wheat77

Your view on drone existence is understood. I don't happen to like cigarettes or smoking either.

I do note that the drone crashed on the ski race course behind a racer, not in itself an event without danger, and damaged only itself...apparently. Chalked up to what I call a "close call". I'm guessing the racer guy did not hear or see the crash well behind him until they showed him after the race. With the helmet on & the sound of the skis cutting on snow/ice, you don't hear much else, though he claims to have seen some movement behind him.

Following is what I've found via Google. Seems rules were violated. One has to assume that safety rules have a purpose. This drone operator was NOT to fly OVER the track, only along side the track. Obviously didn't comply, whatever the reason. When they mention "rules in other countries...", think back to the horrible accident by the Frecci Tricolori @ Ramstein in '88.

Waldner said that the federation had agreed to let its broadcast partner, Infront Sports & Media, use the drone at the slalom, but that the pilot was not allowed to fly the camera directly over the racecourse.

“He did not follow our instructions,” Waldner said. “He had to fly outside of the racetrack and follow the racer from a 15-meter distance. Then there would have been a margin, and nothing could have happened.”

Infront said in a statement: “We are extremely relieved that apparently no one was hurt. At the same time, this incident is being taken very seriously, and the circumstances leading to it are currently being examined. An update will be provided as soon as secured information is available.”

Drones have been used many times at ski races. The ski federation said the technology was aimed at enhancing the experience for television viewers by providing moving pictures from overhead angles that regular cameras could not reach.

The federation also said legal restrictions on the use of drones at events were not as tight in Italy as in many other countries.