Drones, Cellular Networks and Nanosatellites are Revolutionizing Live Broadcasts

The broadcast industry is in the infancy stages of utilizing drones for sports, news, and production applications. Today, drones are increasingly being used for aerial shots of developing news stories and flyovers of sports stadiums, as their small size enables broadcasters to access tight spaces and fly at a low altitude at a fraction of the cost of using helicopters. Some drones are currently outfitted with 4K and 8K cameras, allowing them to deliver ultra-high-quality live video footage with embedded telemetry data. 

As the drone technology and its use cases evolve, it begs an important question. Can drones replace helicopters for producing aerial views? This article will examine some of the challenges and recent technology innovations for leveraging drones in the broadcast and other application environments, such as public safety and security.

Impacts of Beyond Visible Line of Sight on Long-Range Operations One of the greatest challenges broadcasters face is using drones beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) requirements mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The current license for commercially flying drones (i.e., FAA Part 107) mandates a maximum flying altitude of 500 feet and an all-flying time visual line of sight to the drone pilot.

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