Volvo Ocean Race: Leg 4 - Image gallery - the view from above

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 04 on board Dongfeng © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race

One of the innovations of the current Volvo Ocean Race has been the use of drones that are capable of keeping pace with the speeding competitors.
This has allowed fans their first real view of the Volvo 65's as they sail at speed across the ocean legs.

The drones were first tried off Dongfeng in the previous Volvo Ocean Race but with the technology available at the time the drones and their cameras could only fly in light winds. Now the wind strength limits have increased and all boats are now flying overhead cameras.

Here's a selection of the shots from above for the opening stanzas of Leg 4 from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board Brunel.Photo by Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, . - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board Brunel.Photo by Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, . - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 04 on board Dongfeng. - photo © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board AkzoNobel. - photo © by Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board Brunel.Photo by Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, . - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board AkzoNobel. - photo © by Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board AkzoNobel. - photo © by Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 02 on board Brunel. Drone - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 02 on board Brunel. Drone - photo © by Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race. 03 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 04 on board AkzoNobel. - photo © by Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race. 05 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 5 and the team edge closer to the doldrums. A lot more cloud around this morning on board Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. - photo © Konrad Frost / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board AkzoNobel. - photo © by Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, .

Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 03 on board Brunel.Photo by Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race. 04 January, . - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race