FlyCam USA Deploys Custom Single-Fiber Solution From Joseph Electronics

Joseph Electronics (JE) and Joseph Fiber Solutions (JFS) have created an integrated, single-fiber data-transmission solution for high-speed, aerial-camera maker FlyCam USA. With JFS’s custom solution, FlyCam USA can send data and HD video back and forth on a single fiber, leaving the system’s second fiber available as a backup.

“We needed to make an investment in a fiber-based signal transport system that would be flexible enough to handle future video formats like 4K and, eventually, 8K,” says Pat Hally, co-inventor of the FlyCam and founder and president of FlyCam USA/This Side Up Productions. “Working closely with the engineers at JFS, we were able to come up with a solution that handled our current requirements while also freeing up one of the fibers that is already flying in the air and tracking with the camera. In the future, that extra fiber will allow us to handle whatever bandwidth our customers need. The results were good enough that the unit was immediately put into use for 16 weeks of grueling college football coverage.”

JFS designed a system that can send bidirectional data and HD video over just one fiber, ensuring there is always an unused fiber on standby. The three-box solution includes a small, lightweight I/O interface box flying with the camera, a box on the ground, and a box at the truck compound for the operator. Signals from the FlyCam to the ground include an HD send, genlock return, 2 bi-directional RS data paths, and an Ethernet port. Signals from the ground to the truck compound add intercom and return video with a switch to allow full operation from the ground for troubleshooting purposes independent of the truck compound, a key feature when the TV compound can be a significant distance away. Also, a 1310nm “bypass” channel allows additional signals to be added in the future, without a significant cost impact.

“Pat Hally and the crew at FlyCam USA and This Side Up Productions are pioneers in aerial-camera technology and production, and we’re honored to be associated with this forward-thinking group,” says Yohay Hahamy, president and CEO of Joseph Electronics. “The system we built for FlyCam is a great example of Joseph’s ability to work closely with customers and customize innovative solutions for the most demanding applications.”