The buzz of Milano-Cortina? Olympic drones offer dizzying perspectives

As Canadian Megan Oldham dropped in for her last run at the freeski slopestyle competition that would secure her an Olympic bronze medal, a buzzing was heard loudly and clearly by those tuning in to the broadcast.

Tailing Oldham closely was a drone, offering a new perspective to Olympic play deployed by the Olympic Broadcasting Services.

And viewers have taken note — from the luge track to the alpine downhill slopes.

"We strive to offer the best viewing experience whether in the stadium or outside," International Olympic Committee sports director Pierre Ducrey said Monday. 

These are not your average drones moving only up and down or sideways. They are first-person view or FPV drones that allow for high speeds following the athletes' every twist and nauseating turn, even matching their pitch and angle on the slopes, jumps or ice. 

While the Olympics have used drones since 2014 in Sochi, Russia, the first-person view drones are new.

The drones, operated by pilots wearing headsets and using controllers, have been the talk of the Olympics so far.

From reaching up to 75 km/h to be able to follow alpine downhill skiers to navigating the enclosed space of a luge track, the teams behind the drone coverage have been busy.

And it's no mean feat.

Getting up close to the Olympic athletes

"These pilots have put in maybe not quite as much time as the athletes are, but in the same ballpark," said Trevor Lyons, CBC's chief drone pilot.

"It's bringing the viewer super close to the athletes. It's almost an intimate view and experience of the best way to show what the athletes are facing speedwise. It's just an amazing way to bring the audience into the moment."

While the International Olympic Committee has yet to detail just what it took