The English Premier League uses DJI drones to improve referees' skills

Drones have become part of the English Premier League football referee training programme. With the new season underway, referees and assistant referees are using video footage captured by drones DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise And DJI Matrice 30 during training matches to analyze their movements from above.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for the management and development of match officials in English professional football, has been working with drone technology specialist Coptrz for almost a year to unlock bird's-eye perspectives that once they were unreachable with static cameras.

An overhead view of the game can help referees refine their positioning at key moments in matches, while assistant referees can study how to improve their line of sight and obtain the optimal angle for making decisions during matches.

“The use of technology in sport is constantly evolving and we are committed to ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation,” Adam Carter, head of performance analysis at PGMOL, tells the Daily Mail.

“The introduction of drones into our training program has allowed us to capture game scenarios from a new and advantageous point of view, which is playing an important role in the preparation of our match officials both at home and around the world ”.

George Burne, director of business development at Coptrz, highlights that the aerial advantage afforded by drones has revolutionized the way the Premier League assesses the placement of referees and assistant referees. The main advantages of the technology include:

• real-time, accurate and unobstructed footage to help referees understand game situations
• Direct feedback on the positioning of match officials to prevent passing lanes from being cut
• Accurate evaluation of offside decisions

“PGMOL has invested heavily in the coaching structure in recent months and this technology is another positive step in continuing to provide match officials with the best possible tools for their match performance,” concluded Carter.