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Live events & broadcast
Live to air, no second take
Live event and broadcast drone coverage in Calgary
Broadcast drone coverage flown four consecutive years over the Calgary Stampede. Live FPV inside the Scotiabank Saddledome on Flames game night. Integrated with your switcher, cleared with your venue.
The problem
Most operators cannot legally fly your event
An event means people, and people means the rules change. Flying near an assembly of persons requires an Advanced RPAS certificate at minimum, and depending on the operation an SFOC on top of it. A great deal of the market simply cannot do this job.
The second problem is integration. Footage on a card is not coverage. If the aerial is going to air it has to reach the switcher clean, at the right format, with a frequency plan that does not fight the rest of the RF on site.
What we deliver
What live coverage actually involves
Live to switcher
1080p output into your production feed with 4K recording onboard for the highlight package. Format, frame rate, and connection agreed with your TD in advance rather than discovered on load-in day.
Sub 250 gram over crowds
Under 250 grams the regulatory picture changes materially, which is what allows meaningful proximity to an audience. These platforms carry a real camera and are the right tool for anything over a packed house.
FPV inside venues
Continuous moves through a venue, over a crowd, and around a stage that no other camera position can achieve. Flown indoors at the Saddledome, which sits outside airspace rules entirely and makes venue coordination the main constraint rather than NAV Canada.
Recap and highlight
The next day asset. Cut from the same capture as the live feed, delivered as a hero recap plus vertical cutdowns for the event social accounts while the audience is still paying attention.
Integration
Your TD should not be surprised by us
Before the day we agree output format and frame rate, cabling and where the receiver lives, frequency allocation against your comms and any other wireless on site, and who calls the shot.
Frequency coordination is the one most people skip and it is the one that bites. On a Flames broadcast at the Saddledome an adjacent SDR transmitter desensitised our downlink, which was resolved live on site because the RF picture had been mapped beforehand and we knew where to look.
Crew is a certified pilot plus a dedicated visual observer, with a spare airframe on the truck. On a live feed there is no version of this where a single point of failure is acceptable.
Technical
What to give your TD
Everything below is agreed at prep, not on load-in day.
| Live output | 1080p50 or 1080p59.94, SDI or HDMI at the receiver |
|---|---|
| Onboard record | Up to 4K for the recap package |
| Latency | Low latency digital link, typically under 40ms glass to glass |
| Frequency | 5.8GHz control and video, coordinated against site RF in advance |
| Platforms | Sub 250g for crowd proximity, five inch FPV for speed, Inspire 3 for stabilised coverage |
| Crew | Certified pilot plus dedicated visual observer as standard |
| Redundancy | Spare airframe and battery capacity for the full run time |
| Documentation | Flight operations plan, SFOC where required, insurance certificate naming the venue |
Track record
Events that have actually run
Calgary Stampede for four consecutive years, including a full SFOC application and compliance review covering four daily operations across the event. Scotiabank Saddledome for Calgary Flames broadcast, flying FPV inside the bowl on game night.
Cowboys Music Festival, corporate and municipal events, and sport across Alberta. Government of Alberta and CBC among the clients on the broadcast side.
Each of those required venue coordination, police or security liaison, and airspace authorization arranged well before the date. That process is the job as much as the flying is.
Common questions
Before you email
Can you fly over a crowd?
With the right platform and the right authorization, yes. Sub 250 gram aircraft change the regulatory picture materially and are the standard answer for anything over an audience. Larger aircraft over an assembly of persons require an SFOC, which we hold under file 930643 and apply for per operation where needed.
How does the live feed reach us?
A digital downlink to a receiver at your production position, output as SDI or HDMI into your switcher. Format and frame rate are agreed with your TD ahead of time. The receiver location and cable run are worked out at the site survey, not on the day.
What about interference with our comms?
This is worth taking seriously and most people do not. Frequency allocation is mapped against your comms, IEM, wireless mics, and any broadcast RF before the event. On a Flames broadcast an adjacent SDR transmitter desensitised our downlink and it was diagnosed and resolved live because we knew what else was on air.
How much notice do you need?
For a straightforward outdoor event, two to three weeks. If an SFOC is required, allow considerably longer, since Transport Canada processing is measured in weeks rather than days. Indoor venue work can often move faster because airspace authorization is not a factor.
What happens if weather cancels?
Outdoor events are weather dependent and that is agreed in writing upfront, including what happens to the fee. Wind above the airframe rating and precipitation are hard stops. Indoor coverage is unaffected, which is one reason venue work is easier to commit to.
Do you provide the recap edit?
Yes, and it is usually worth having. The same capture that fed the live show cuts into a recap and vertical social package, delivered while the audience is still engaged. Next day turnaround is achievable when it is scoped in advance.
Get a quote
Send the venue, the date, and your run of show
Fixed quote inside 24 hours, including crew, platforms, and what the airspace and venue picture looks like.
- Direct
- 587.434.9254
- Based in
- Calgary, Alberta
- Compliance
- Transport Canada Advanced RPAS, $7.5M liability, SFOC and NAV Canada authorizations handled in house
Request sent
Thanks. You will hear back within 24 hours, usually sooner. If it is urgent, call 587.434.9254.