We already knew this week’s winter X-Games was going to feature some new technology — just last week GoPro announced it would be testing broadcast-grade live streaming during the event. Now ESPN has told Engadget it will be filming the competitions with a drone.
ESPN is filming the winter X-Games with a drone
ESPN may be the first network to use live images from a drone during a sporting event in the United States, according to Chris Calcinari, who is the VP of ESPN’s Sports Remote Production Operations. Camera operators will pilot the drones “behind, overhead and in front of the competitors.” There’s no guarantee the footage will air, though, due to the nascence of the technology and concerns like bad weather.
To film with drones at all, ESPN worked with the FAA. The network had to prove that any filming would be done only by members of the production crew, and also had to ensure that the filming airspace isn’t accessible by the public. Considering how easily dangerous drones can be, that’s a good thing.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
Most Popular
Most Popular
- Apple’s weird anti-nausea dots cured my car sickness
- Midjourney goes from generating cat images to full-body ultrasound scans
- Tim Cook says RAM expenses are ‘unsustainable’ and Apple is going to raise prices
- Apple’s smart home camera service is starting to impress me
- Can anyone look cool wearing Snap’s $2,000 glasses?
