CJC Doctoral Fellow Authors Article on Drone Use for Live Television Broadcasts

Benjamin Lynn, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications doctoral fellow, is the author of “Rethinking Drone Usage on Live Broadcasts” published in SportsTech Journal Fall 2019 edition.

In the article, Lynn explains why broadcasters have struggled to integrate drones into their live sports productions. He cites safety concerns, technical limitations and the nature of live broadcasts as problematic.

“Looking at which sports are suited to using drones during a live broadcast, we find that motorsports broadcasts are uniquely positioned to take advantage of a drone’s capabilities and work around its limitations,” Lynn said. “Unfortunately, drones have contributed little to the overall value of the live production.”

Lynn adds, “It’s clear that drones haven’t worked out the way that broadcasters had hoped, so it’s now time to consider the possibility that drones may be more effective if they are kept grounded during green-flag racing and used only during cautions. This new approach opens the door for drones to create dynamic and engaging images that no other camera could provide, and it could drastically change how motorsports racing is covered.”

He suggests that drones can re-shape motorsports coverage and, under the right conditions they can be a valuable addition to live sports broadcasts.

Posted: October 23, 2019
Category: College News, Student News
Tagged as: Benjamin Lynn, SportsTech Journal