Hayden Paddon

[Rally Hokkaido]

They have fitted a noise maker, it seems.

[Humber]

And the pov drone versus the Kona EV on the gravel hill climb.

https://www.facebook.com/haydenpaddo...41122807692141

[NickRally]

And the pov drone versus the Kona EV on the gravel hill climb.

https://www.facebook.com/haydenpaddo...41122807692141

I wonder how long before a drone is linked to each car at WRC events and in fact most likely carried/recharged by each car in between stages, released at the start of a stage and then brought back on board at stage end for the next cycle.

[kirungi okwogera]

I wonder how long before a drone is linked to each car at WRC events and in fact most likely carried/recharged by each car in between stages, released at the start of a stage and then brought back on board at stage end for the next cycle.

That video's great, and I like your idea. I do wonder when drone radio range, battery range and speed (in the case of fast rallies like Finland) will make that possible. I doubt you'd carry or charge it though. You'd only have time to switch out batteries/switch drones. While it'd be nice to watch, the cost starts to add up quickly - say ten top drivers get drones? So, what, two drones each, alternating on stages while the other is serviced/batteries switched. And you've got infrastructure and crew at the beginning and end of each stage to pilot, collect and service drones as well. You're basically running a POV drone rally...

[AnttiL]

WRC+ used to have a lot of drone action in 2017/2018 but they have disappeared since.

[EstWRC]

Paddon "realistic" over bleak WRC return prospect


Hayden Paddon says the prospect of him negotiating a works drive in the World Rally Championship is bleaker than ever.

Paddon "realistic" over bleak WRC return prospect
Paddon was forced out of the series at the end of 2018 after the Alzenau team signed nine-time WRC champion, Sebastien Loeb.

A programme had been tabled by then Hyundai Motorsport boss Michel Nandan but it was deemed too limited by Paddon.

Recent attempts by the New Zealander to plot a course back into the series have been stymied by a testing accident that prevented him from starting Rally Finland with M-Sport Ford two seasons ago.

The cancellation of Rally Australia later that same year due to bush fires was another setback for his aspirations, with plans to complete a four-rally programme in 2020 ended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paddon, the 2016 Rally Argentina winner, told Autosport the prospect of him successfully negotiating a drive in either the WRC or the WRC’s WRC2 support series between now and December was remote.


“To be honest, I would love to be back in the World Rally Championship – I would give anything to be back in the World Rally Championship – but I am also realistic," the 33-year-old said.

"We have been on the side lines for a while now and there’s several other young drivers coming through [the ranks].

“Negotiations with teams have somewhat stalled for now. The start of the season is always the busiest for teams.

"It’s only around mid-season that they start to think about the following year."

In between talking to teams to find a deal that works for both parties, Paddon has also been devoting a large amount of his time to developing an electric rally car based on Hyundai’s small Kona crossover.

He believes it is the future of the sport and reckons the technical know-how that he is learning in terms of packaging and performance could make him attractive in the role as a test and development driver.

From 2022, Rally1 cars will combine a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 100kW plug-in hybrid unit, with M-Sport Ford, Toyota Gazoo Racing and Hyundai Motorsport all busy behind the scenes.

“I would be really interested in a test role, and helping a team to develop their new hybrid systems, because I feel we are building our knowledge base quite well in that area at the moment,” said Paddon.

“I feel I could deliver [results] – but I’m not holding my breath.

“I still want to be involved, whether that is as a Rally1 driver, Rally2 driver or even just a test driver. I feel I still have a lot to offer.”


https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/p...spect/5608691/

[NickRally]

That video's great, and I like your idea. I do wonder when drone radio range, battery range and speed (in the case of fast rallies like Finland) will make that possible. I doubt you'd carry or charge it though. You'd only have time to switch out batteries/switch drones. While it'd be nice to watch, the cost starts to add up quickly - say ten top drivers get drones? So, what, two drones each, alternating on stages while the other is serviced/batteries switched. And you've got infrastructure and crew at the beginning and end of each stage to pilot, collect and service drones as well. You're basically running a POV drone rally...

I suspect if that idea is to ever come to fruition, the whole process will have to be fully automated and there will be very little human intervention during a loop of stages, i.e, self guided drones, automated docking onto cars and so on. Talking about battery charging, if the power is there, they can be re-charged safely to full capacity within 5-10 minutes which is enough for most practical situations, while drone velocity does not have to be an object for a dedicated drone design.

[EstWRC]

THE ACE UP PADDON’S SLEEVE FOR WRC COMEBACK BID

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/the-a...comeback-goal/

[AnttiL]

In case someone already got excited, no, Paddon doesn't have any actual plans.

[Mirek]

I suspect if that idea is to ever come to fruition, the whole process will have to be fully automated and there will be very little human intervention during a loop of stages, i.e, self guided drones, automated docking onto cars and so on. Talking about battery charging, if the power is there, they can be re-charged safely to full capacity within 5-10 minutes which is enough for most practical situations, while drone velocity does not have to be an object for a dedicated drone design.

The major issue with drones is safety legislation. I don't know rules in other countries but I guess they are similar everywhere. In general they shall be flying in corridors where quite large distance from spectators is kept and where everyone inside the corridor (marshals for example) agreed in written form about the drones flying overhead. They must not fly over any crowd beyond visual line of sight of the pilot. Also if there are multiple high-speed flying drones over the couse of the stage there is a risk of collision which has to be addressed. I don't know if the commercial drones have some automatic collision avoidance system.