Successful drone video capture at the Cambridge Half Marathon 2024

Technical summary

“We’ve traditionally either used a WiFi connection from the site or streamed over a cellular network (4G/5G). Starlink recently introduced its satellite internet system which works by connecting to a small portable satellite dish that gives us a really stable and fast internet connection anywhere in the world. Our devices connect to this dish either by WiFi or a wired connection.” comments Marc Mann, Chief Drone Pilot at SkyTech Cambridge.

Having tested Starlink at the event, it is clear that fast and reliable video streaming is now achievable without having to rely on oversubscribed cellular networks. We were able to achieve impressive downstream and upstream speeds to supply an uninterrupted 1080p live stream to our client. Used in conjunction with our high capacity portable power station, we are now able to provide completely ‘off the grid’ live streaming, anywhere.

Operational summary

Organising any mass participating event is a major feat which is why it’s critical that any drone project planning starts months in advance. We kicked-off preparations with OSB Events (the event management company behind sporting challenges including Cambridge Half Marathon and Outlaw Triathlon) in plenty of time to plan the following:

• Weather contingent plans - IP rated drones may be necessary for wet weather. 
• Flight safety in congested public areas - A vital aspect of our planning process is to ensure that we can operate safely around the city and reduce the risk to the public when carrying out drone operations.
• Obtaining the necessary flight permissions from Cambridge City Airport to operate safely inside their restricted airspace.
• Technical capabilities and client expectations - This includes a live test of all equipment prior to the event with the client.
• Location scouting - To get the shots that will ultimately make the edit, it is vital that our drone pilots know their surroundings and event timings. 
• Client brief - Working closely with our client ensures that we fully understand their requirements from a technical and creative standpoint. 

Adam Moffat, Race Director for TTP Cambridge Half Marathon commented:

“Having a drone feed provided by SkyTech into our multi agency control center has greatly assisted the management of the Cambridge Half Marathon. It allows us to make real time decisions with our team on the ground, based on live footage. Furthermore, it has allowed us to review our site layout and athlete/spectator flows post event making informed decisions for future years.” 

We also received feedback from a member of the police that was in the control room who commented that the feed we supplied was ‘incredible’. The live-feed allows race organisers and officials to monitor the movement of runners and crowds, and detect any potential security or safety issues in real-time - the drone has cemented its place in every mass-event organisers toolkit. 

If you’re planning a mass-participation event in Cambridge or anywhere else in the UK and require drone video expertise - we’d love to have a conversation with you.