Pre-flying ?

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rkracing

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How many of the big budget teams do a pre-fly over the course either by helicopter or airplane to look for better lines?? Is it considered legal?
 
Baja Bryan

Baja Bryan

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You forgot some top teams prerun at race speed with helo spotter for on coming traffic, unfair advantage, yes. Would I do it if I had the chance,
yes.
 
swiftracing5

swiftracing5

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Who is gonna be the first to drone prerun...

When is score gonna create a drone class...

;)


Sent from my iPhone using race-deZert
 
JDDurfey

JDDurfey

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I prefer to use Google Earth. A whole lot cheaper than a chopper. I have found some great lines doing this.

Oops, I just let the cat out of the bag. I am sure I am not the only one that has done this.
 
R

rkracing

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X2 on google earth have used it as well, only downside is the satellite images may be a couple years old not showing the most recent lines especially in baja. Plus not the same detail as flying over it 100m off the ground. That poor mans helicopter idea doesn't sound to bad though lol.
 
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NIKAL

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Back in the early 80’s my grandfather would prerun in his Baja bug. Then for the Baja 500 & 1000 he tried to go back and fly over the course. He said it did not really help with learning the course as you are to high and fast. Plus it was very hard to pinpoint were you were on the course. It would have been eased with the Helo. Where it did help was with seeing & learning access roads that his chase crews could use to find them if broke or to pit. Identifying landmarks by the highway was easier then a tree or something on the course.

Mostly flying the course was just fun as he had the plane, and it was a good excuse to fly and spend another few days down there.

Race course maps & AAA maps is what they used back then. Today with GPS & google earth, there is no reason to pre-fly the course.
 
Kyle D

Kyle D

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It’s amazing what can be done with drones today. We use them at work to map out job sites for customers. Multiples passes back and forth (3-5) then all the imagery recorded gets plugged into a computer and a completely 3D topographical map that you can grab and turn gets made. Elevation changes to 1/10 of a foot are listed that your able to click and see what’s up with a certain section before the job even begins. Basically that info can be sent to the surveyors and they can build the plans off that file that include the cuts and fills to make a job site flat or ready for house pads or whatever.
 
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BigBlue&Goldie

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What kind of distance can you cover with a drone? Is this a viable method for any desert course without spending weeks out there flying?
 
Zambo

Zambo

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The way to use a drone IMO is to take it with you prerunning. My Mavic Air drone is tiny. The aircraft and the controller take up about as much room in a car as a quart of oil. Then you can stop in a place that looks like it needs a lot of scouting and just launch the drone to have a look around.
 
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