IN THE THICK OF IT GSS, Sony and Canon imaging technology help viewers get as close to the peloton as possible
flight rules, daily, for the three weeks of the Tour. By the time the riders finish on Champs-Élysées in Paris, the three HdF helicopters have each amassed about 110 hours of flight time throughout the event. During that time, the HdF pilots frequently fly in restricted airspace over cities, nuclear power plants, government buildings and installations, as well as over 30 nature areas. “For the Tour de France, I mainly take care of all the work upstream of the operation, to ensure it takes place in good conditions,” says Silvère Toyon-Pope, HdF deputy operations manager. “We operate seven helicopters on the Tour – three dedicated to the television part and four dedicated to transporting people for the organisation. We operate an AS350 for the television relay and two twin-engine AS355s for filming. For organisation purposes, we operate four AS350s.” It is paramount that the helicopters have no impact on the riders. “Our procedures require that sufficient margins be maintained for this,” says Toyon-Pope. “Each TV helicopter has two cameras; these are GSS 512 gimbals with a Sony
HDC-P50 camera and Canon UHD lenses. The TV helicopters also have a wide-angle gimbal at the front for landscapes and a long-focus camera on the side for zooming. Each gimbal also has a rain spinner option to make both rainwater and mosquitoes invisible. This equipment is provided by a service provider.” The cameras are encased in pods that are designed to interfere as little as possible with the aerodynamics of the aircraft. The entire Tour de France is a challenge for HdF, as the event is an ongoing operation. “We must therefore prepare all landing zones in advance, so that we can refuel the helicopters according to the director’s desired strategy (at least two landing zones that our vehicles can access for each stage),” says Toyon-Pope. “We also coordinate the helicopters’ passage with various air traffic control, prohibited and military zones so as not to miss any of the event. The key is that advance preparations are done well to ensure the operation runs smoothly.” In addition to the pilots, HdF’s Tour operations require them to have three mechanics, a fuel logistics specialist and someone to oversee the entire
helicopter operation on hand. “This complements the two to four people managing the behind-the-scenes preparation and contingencies from our main base,” adds Toyon-Pope. Virtual vélos Live sports events like the Tour de France offer broadcasters a rare opportunity to push the limits of their storytelling. “With tools like augmented reality graphics, they can transform raw race data into captivating, real-time narratives that keep viewers hooked,” says Adrian Fiedrich, product owner of CoE Graphics and VS/AR at Vizrt. “Creativity isn’t just nice to have – it’s what turns casual spectators into passionate fans. In fact, a Vizrt- commissioned survey found 77% of fans consider on-screen graphics essential for on-the-go sports.” Anchoring production in the heart of a tournament’s location is one of the most effective ways to immerse sports fans – a technique increasingly enabled by advanced AR technology from Vizrt. “During the Tour de France, for example, broadcasters brought a floating 3D map of France into the studio,
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