Filming from a Helicopter
The TV System
On the nose of the helicopter is located a 5-axis gyro-stabilised Cineflex camera ball.
This holds the optical block of the camera and the Canon lens in a cradle fully protected from vibration, movement, wind shock and the weather.
The difference between the HD & SD helicopters is not apparent from the outside as they look identical.
However, rest assured that the HD 1080 machine is pure HD from front to back.
The Cineflex ball, the camera, lens, cabling and operating equipment are all factory-built HD components.
In helicopters, the operating process is similar with the camera CCU inside feeding its signal direct in SDI or HDSDI to a record medium.
Control and Monitoring
The camera is controlled like a ‘hot-head’.
It is a specialised task using the laptop controller and XYZ joystick and there is a full camera menu available as well as zoom, focus, aperture, shutter, filters, colour balance etc.
We use true low light ENG camera with great sensitivity.
Full video monitoring is available at each of the three seats in the helicopter, together with comfortable headsets that run off the digital sound system.
You get clear, easy communications with the crew and our dedicated 2-way radio system connects with the ground. We provide handheld radios for ground staff FOC.
Live Transmission
The helicopters that we use, permanently carry live-capable microwave transmitters and long distance transmission antennae, enabling a live output to be transmitted 70 miles directly, without the use of a midpoint.
