SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES
companies, which it will then provide to Aurora to use on the production. However, as the host broadcast production company, Aurora consults with Formula E on ideas for the production and how certain technologies might fit into those aspirations for the broadcast. “We consult for Formula E. For example, we’re currently going through the process of introducing live drones into the broadcast and we’re heavily involved in recommending the suppliers and consulting on the idea,” comments Gillett. He says that drones will feature heavily in the production going forwards, with ‘a mix of chase drones and a more visual perspective.’ He adds: “Obviously, whenever we’re doing our racing, we want to bring the viewer as close to the action as possible and give them a good overview of the scenery and track. So we’ve actually planned to have a combination of two drones: a first-person view (FPV) and a more scenic one, a mixture of both perspectives. The advantage of using drones is that we’re going to save on cost; they’re cheaper than having a helicopter and it’s also obviously way more environmentally friendly flying drones than a petrol helicopter. So that’s where we’re aiming to go for the next season.” Scott continues: “Formula E has grown as a company, but it’s a very collaborative thing; it’s Tata Comms Media, part of Tata Communications, began working with Formula E after its third season. It now supports the broadcast’s remote production set-up, launched in 2023. The new use of public internet for connectivity rather than dark fibre results in increased cost savings and flexibility. While moving to the public internet, Formula E has also transitioned to an IP-based remote set-up for all its events. Tata Comms Media contributes both video and audio to Formula E’s remote production facility, and worldwide distribution to media rightsholders globally. To meet Formula E’s requirements for delivering a large volume of live, remotely produced feeds, Tata Comms Media uses its Mimic Transmission cloud service, which can transfer hundreds of compressed IP video feeds to anywhere in the world, and its Media Edge platform, a software-defined solution designed to manage and distribute large volumes of live video and data. Using 26 locations across North America, Europe and Asia, the Mimic Transmission platform enables the company to employ edge computing – and sometimes its private cloud – to manage the complexity and scale of transmission required across the globe.
room full of everyone doing all the replays, they don’t have to travel, then people doing team radio, they don’t have to travel either. So we can add all these layers upon layers.” ASPIRING BROADCAST Today, the Formula E technology department sources tech for the live broadcast via specialist
ANGLING FOR SHOTS Getting good visuals of the track allow cameras to capture racers like Robin Frijns in a Jaguar I-Type 6 for Envision Racing at the London E-Prix
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