Dramatic or distracting? Olympic drone footage catches the eye

If you were watching the downhill skiing or luge at Milan-Cortina 2026 over the weekend, you will have noticed the dramatic new camera angles being provided at these Games. Drones have been used in Olympic coverage since 2014, but they have been much more prevalent at these Winter Games. Carrying cameras, the drones have been flown close behind athletes as they ski or slide, capturing dramatic footage which has never been seen at a Games before. But they have proved divisive for audiences, with social media split between admiring the footage or being put off by the noise. The whirring of the drone blades is audible in the live coverage.