At a coastal rowing regatta, I tested a livestreaming setup combining two ground-based cameras with the DJI Inspire 3, broadcasting directly to YouTube through the Director One system.
The aim was to see whether the footage could help umpires track the skiffs during racing. It was an opportunity to assess the camera views and identify any practical limitations before relying on the setup.
Bringing the cameras together
The two ground-based cameras provided views from the shore, with the Inspire 3 adding an aerial perspective. Director One provided the internet connection and handled the livestream to YouTube.
The cameras, monitoring equipment and media cart formed the working setup beside the water. Each view had to contribute something useful to the coverage, particularly when the purpose was helping officials follow the boats.
The Inspire 3 used a Whitetail weighted drone take-off mat, providing a take-off and landing surface over the grass. It was part of the practical kit brought along for the test.
When interference affects the picture
The main problem came from the local community broadband system interfering with the drone’s wireless video link.
I’d encountered this before and could identify where the interference was coming from. As the Inspire 3 reached a certain height, it became severe enough to effectively kill the video link.
The controller’s channel display showed the interference we were dealing with. This affected the picture coming back from the drone, rather than the internet connection sending the livestream to YouTube.
For a test intended to help umpires follow moving boats, that was a significant limitation.
Testing before relying on it
Getting an aerial picture was only part of the job. The question was whether the coverage could provide a clear, consistent view that would be useful to officials.
The session exposed an issue that needed to be understood before relying on the aerial feed. Bringing several cameras into a livestream was one part of the test; maintaining the drone’s video connection at the location was another.
That is why these sessions are useful. They give you a chance to assess the whole setup in the conditions where it will be used, including the wireless systems already operating nearby.