According to Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina are ushering in a “new chapter in Olympic broadcasting”—one that includes first-person view (FPV) drones capable of providing “unprecedented immersion into the athletes’ experience.”
If you tuned into events such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, or speed skating during the first few days of the 2026 Games in Italy, you may have seen—or heard—the FPV drones. Milano Cortina marks the Winter Olympics debut of the technology, with about 15 of them bringing viewers closer to the action.
Capable of flying at around 75 mph, the drones have captured precise maneuvers, daring tricks, and wipeouts while soaring alongside the athletes.
“This is the closest you can get to feeling a jump,” Jonas Sandell, who competed in ski jumping with the Norwegian national team and now operates FPV drones for that event in Milano Cortina, said in OBS’ media guide for the 2026 Games. “Seeing an athlete soar 140 metres through the air on two skis is incredible. I want audiences to experience that sensation as if they were in the air too.”
Camera drones have been part of Olympic broadcasting since the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, and the use of the technology has expanded with subsequent iterations of the event.
The opening ceremony for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea featured 1,218 drones, setting a then-record for the largest simultaneous drone light show. In Beijing in 2022, they provided aerial views of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as coverage of events and medal ceremonies. The 2024 Paris Games introduced FPV drones for live mountain bike coverage.
This year, they are being used for all outdoor sports, including alpine skiing, biathlon, and, for the first time, sliding sports such as bobsled and luge, which see athletes hit speeds beyond 80 mph. They are quickly becoming more ubiquitous—even indoors. Speed skating was not yet confirmed to have FPV coverage when OBS released its media guide on February 2.
But on Friday, it did.
“We look at this as an evolution of the sport,” Pierre Ducrey, sports director for the International Olympic Committee, told Reuters on Monday. “The expectation today is to have this kind of experience when you consume a sports event, even more so for the Olympic Games. We strive to offer the best viewing experience whether in the stadium or outside.”
Drones Change the Game
The OBS uses hundreds of cameras and microphones—and helicopters, three of which covered the Milano Cortina opening ceremony—to collect Olympic footage. Ten traditional hover drones are providing scenic coverage. The FPV drones, per the media guide, add a “third dimension” that is free from the constraints of fixed, ground-level cameras.
They are purpose-built for sports broadcasting, with compactness and agility that other drones lack. For example, an “inverted blade design”—with propellers mounted below rather than above—“enhances aerodynamic efficiency and enables smoother flight curves, which is especially critical when following athletes through steep descents or tight turns.”
“These drones will give audiences a thrilling, first-person perspective of speed and skill,” said Mark Wallace, chief content officer for OBS.
Breezy Johnson was FLYING to win Olympic downhill gold!
#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/FFtNki6Rck
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 9, 2026
The FPV drones fly at “near-competitive speeds.” They are operated by certified pilots at elevated positions, giving them a line of sight to the athletes and aircraft. Pilots work out of heated cabins, which are equipped with a battery charging station, spare drone, receiver, and dual monitors. The batteries typically last about two “athlete runs” before they must be swapped out.
In addition to the pilot, each drone is overseen by a director and technician. They manage flight paths by communicating with each other, technical crews, and broadcast directors through a dedicated channel, adjusting the drones’ video filters based on weather and light conditions.
All flights are conducted in coordination with the Italian Civil Aviation Authorities, Prefectures, and Police, as well as international federations and the venues and production teams themselves. Operations are preapproved and “meticulously planned, conducted exclusively in controlled areas” that are a safe distance away from athletes and spectators.
The drones are also typically the first aerial assets to be grounded in poor weather conditions. Cold weather, for instance, can drain their batteries and cut flight time in half.
“At sprawling cross-country skiing venues, cameras are strategically placed along kilometres of track, but when visibility drops, even the best optical zoom is useless,” said Marcin Grzybowski, senior host broadcast producer for OBS. “Drones and static cameras struggle to follow athletes, and the softened, whitewashed view becomes the only option. Biathlon faces similar woes.”
Not Without Issues
The FPV drones at the 2026 Winter Games have generated buzz among the athletes, as well as on social media.
Some athletes, speaking to The Washington Post, raised concerns about the drones’ literal buzz throwing them off their rhythm during competition. But many said they can simply tune it out when they enter the slopes, slide, or rink. Several said they listen to music while they compete, which drowns out any distractions.
American snowboarder Bea Kim told the Post that the drones on occasion have flown too close for comfort. That wouldn’t be the first instance—in 2015, a falling camera drone nearly hit and injured Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher. The following day, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation banned camera drones from its World Cup races.
Ahead of the 2026 Games, one drone crashed during a training session. And during the event on Sunday, Australian snowboarder Ally Hickman was nearly hit by a drone during her first jump.
The FPV views, while stunning, have also divided television viewers—some have complained that the drones’ whirring can be heard on the broadcast.