HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–If you are looking for the best seat in the house for the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park this weekend, then chances are brothers Luke and Cole Jones piloting their drones have their gimbals locked on shooting the perfect A-roll.As long as the weather holds off, the Jones boys go vertical for every race during Oaklawn's meet, which is all part of the larger show in Hot Springs.Tracks have deployed this aerial technology for a couple of years now, but it's primarily been restricted to major days.To us, it's hard to imagine a time when there were no announcers booming like Oz from behind a curtain or when there weren't HD video boards the size of Rhode Island.In the old days, you went to the races with field glasses slung over your shoulder or actually rented a pair onsite. Back then circa 1950, the only thing 4K meant was that you had an above average annual salary.Our current racing state does have its limitations though. Watching a screen–whether you're a fan or a steward–only reveals so much because of the angle. What a Stick and Rudder Man DoesAt Oaklawn, Chris Jones–joined by his two sons Luke and Cole–begs to differ that creating a heightened viewing experience for each race is only for the birds.He says that his company Drone Logistics has the answer–it's called action.Cole, Chris and Luke Jones at Oaklawn | JN Campbell“Drones are really the best way to see everything that happens on a racetrack,” said Chris. “We are one of the first companies to use them for race coverage. Other tracks have utilized them on big days, but we've certainly expanded on the model by coming out each and every day. That was our pitch and Louis Cella, Wayne Smith and Ron Moquett all contributed to making this possible for us at Oaklawn.”Based in Little Rock, Jones merged his ties to horse racing and aeronautics which he says is a match made in heaven for a guy who still maintains a pilot's license.“Aviation and racing are really big in my family,” he said. “My dad Dan Jones and Dave Clark started Tex Sutton Equine Air Transport, so when I was a kid I remember flying on those charters from California to Florida. It was a great time and really left an indelible mark on me.”A graduate of Ouachita Baptist University–which is a hop, skip and a jump from Hot Springs in Arkadelphia–Jones attended the races with his family and because of those experiences Oaklawn has always been a home away from home.“We owned horses and raced with the likes of Frank Fletcher,” Chris added. “Fly Racing was our stable and we had so much fun with my dad until he passed away in 2003. Horses are a passion for us, we love being part of this and my sons had the same upbringing.” What Those Video Games Were ForChris Jones went on to run a separate aviation logistics company for the better part of 25 years.In the meantime, Luke, who was recruited by Notre Dame to play football, transferred back to his home state where he majored at the University of Arkansas in sports management with a minor in business marketing, while Cole landed on hospitality management in Fayetteville.Both worked for Fortune 500 companies out of college, but the idea to partner with their father was always present and that eventually was how Drone Logistics was born.Drone tech with controller | JN CampbellGrowing up the pair always battled one another for supremacy on the PlayStation with the game of choice being NCAA College Football.“We played games all the time and the controller became like an extension of us,” Cole said. “When we started looking at different kinds of drones we immediately felt comfortable with the way it fit in our hands.”Of course, the brothers readily admit that the technical side of drone aeronautics continues to have its own learning curve. The FAA regulations must be adhered to and the licensing is a necessary component.“We started over a year and half ago with training runs,” said Luke. “It was just repetition and learning how to use the grid on the controller and adapt to the conditions. In some ways it was pretty easy because when it comes to knowing racing from a horsemen's perspective, we know what people want to see. We literally grew up here at the track, so it just comes naturally to us.”While flying the drones takes a specific technical expertise from approximately 100 feet in the air, the other aspect that the team heavily takes into account are those all-important camera angles.“We've expanded to do live broadcasts for golf on NBC and the Golf Channel,” said Chris. “You know what we shoot from above is like cinema. For us, we are trying to showcase all of the great parts of any scene. So when we do B-roll, whether we've flown over a course or through a casino, we're constantly rethinking how to bring the best images to our audience.” What the Camera Doesn't MissKeeping up with a racehorse who clocks around 38 miles per hour is no easy task for a drone whose top speed is 40. Depending on the length of the race–a route or sprint–hitting your marks can make for a difficult proposition. Safety is of the utmost concern. Both Luke and Cole are constantly assessing which way the flags are blowing as they keep in constant communication. “We've spent significant time planning a flight path out to the course,” said Cole. “The pinpoints keep us on target, but we always have to make adjustments in the middle of a flight. We communicate constantly with Oaklawn's production studio and that way we can shoot the crowd, the post parade and the loading process.”The enhanced views of the horses warming up coupled with the races themselves have become a popular addition to the Oaklawn broadcasts.“It provides a ton of value for owners and the trainers,” Luke said. “We've done workouts and some stables use our footage for their own social media accounts. We think the sky's the limit. Fans really enjoy seeing shots of the track when the horses are parading.”Drone Logistics has also provided video to the stewards who have needed a particular angle during an inquiry. “There is a spot around the three-eighths pole where you cannot see really anything from the normal angle,” said Cole. “Our shots make it possible for them to have that extra perspective.”According to Chris Jones, regularly allowing horseplayers to access race replays could be the next frontier. Handicapping a race by watching it from above gives you the chance to see movement you would otherwise miss. He says that getting to see how a horse gets blocked off on the inside or how they gain on other horses down the stretch is an invaluable tool.For the Jones Family it's all part of delivering a heightened experience for Oaklawn.“Whoever is watching, when you get the crowd involved it's just a really cool element,” said Chris. “The Arkansas Derby attendance has a bowl game feel to it and it's amazing to be a part of it. Horses put on a show every day too and we're here to capture it for everyone by making the race watching experience even more special.”The post Game Boys: Drones Heighten Season-Long Oaklawn Viewing Experience appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.