TVU Networks, ArrowData Partner on Drone-Based Live Video Transmission Solution

ArrowData, an aerial data services company that specializes in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s – or drones) for electronic newsgathering (AeroJournalism), and TVU Networks announced the launch of a UAV service that provides news broadcasters with the ability to transmit unique live aerial views from ArrowData’s drones in full HD with sub-second latency using TVU’s portable cellular transmitters.

TVU Networks partnered with ArrowData, an aerial data services company that specializes in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s – or drones) for electronic newsgathering.

ArrowData has received a special waiver from the FAA to operate drones for electronic newsgathering or AeroJournalism – the first and only such FAA 333 waver provided to a private company. By combining ArrowData’s drone piloting expertise and TVU’s award-winning mobile cellular IP technology, broadcasters can now deliver news coverage from unique vantage points not possible from traditional ground level camera views. In addition, broadcasters can easily incorporate the AeroJournalism service into their current video acquisition workflow since the drone flying and live video transmission is handled together.

“This partnership gives us a tremendous advantage in this emerging industry,” said James Fleitz, Vice President of ArrowData in Las Vegas. “We provide the dynamic shots from drones, and TVU is the perfect answer for transmitting that video.”

An ArrowData drone was used recently for live reporting and weather shots for a large-market news broadcast. “This is a game changer for those in the news business. There are many questions in the industry right now about how best to use drones. This partnership allows us to answer those questions and begin implementing AeroJournalism in newsrooms right away,” said Ron Futrell, Sales and Marketing Director for ArrowData and veteran TV newscaster for more than 3 decades.

“We’re delighted to partner with ArrowData to bring their drone piloting services together with TVU’s live uplink transmission capabilities,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “It’s a true win/win for broadcasters. They can leave the capturing of aerial views in the capable hands of ArrowData personnel while receiving live, low-latency HD video from a TVU mobile cellular uplink transmitter.”

Already in use by hundreds of leading broadcast organizations around the world, the TVU Networks family of IP transmission solutions gives broadcasters a powerful and reliable tool to distribute live video content to broadcast, online, and mobile platforms. TVU live video solutions have been used to deliver professional-quality live HD footage of a number of important events around the world including the 2010 World Cup, the London Summer Games, U.S. presidential elections, Hurricane Sandy, the 2013 Papal conclave, the Sochi Winter Olympics, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and the Super Bowl.