A Leeds-based business has secured a unique partnership with the PGMOL, to spearhead the use of drone technology within top Premier League football referee training programmes, to coincide with the kick-off of the new season.

The UK’s leading drone provider, Coptrz is working with the PGMOL, the body responsible for the management and development of officials in English professional football, to implement drones within practical-based programmes benefitting top referees such as Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor.

The core aim is to widen the training and development of officials in professional football by building on the current video analysis provision offered to both referees and assistant referees.

PGMOL recently opened the doors of its pre-season training camp at Loughborough to show how it is harnessing Coptrz’s drone technology to enhance match officials’ coaching programme.

Using both the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise, and the DJI M30 drones, PGMOL can capture game-realistic situations from a bird’s eye perspective during its regular training camps; footage of which is then analysed in real time and off the pitch to help referees and assistant referees, and their coaches, work on different aspects of their game. In particular, this focuses on positioning and improving sight lines to gain the optimum angle to make decisions during games.

George Burne, business development director at Coptrz based in Leeds, said: “Teaming up with the PGMOL is a key milestone for Coptrz as a business and will really demonstrate the positive impact drone technology can have at the highest level of the professional game. We look forward to working with PGMOL to provide referees and assistant referees in football with even greater analysis within their regular training scenarios.”

Adam Carter, Head of Performance Analysis at PGMOL, said: “The use of technology in sport is constantly evolving and we are committed to ensuring we remain at the cutting edge of innovation."

“The introduction of drones into our training programme has meant that we can now capture game scenarios from a new and beneficial viewpoint, which is playing an important part in preparing our officials for their fixtures both at home and across the world."

“There’s been a lot of investment into the coaching structure at PGMOL in recent months and this technology is another positive step to continuing to provide officials with the best possible tools to perform on matchdays.”