Flying High with Super Motion

Pilots fly individually against the clock and have to complete tight turns through the course, consisting of specially designed 19m high pylons known as “air gates”. Precision is equally important as speed and the smallest mistake results in penalty points. Flying low to the ground at speeds that can reach up to 420 kph leaves very little room for error.

In 2006, the Red Bull Air Race tour took in eight stunning locations: Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Barcelona, Longleat, Budapest, Perth, San Francisco and Berlin. Each location was chosen for its beautiful scenery, acting as a backdrop for the amazing feats of flying.

In order to help capture these amazing images, SiVision Television Production of Germany asked equipment supplier company Presteigne to come on the tour.

Presteigne played an essential role on the shoot, providing one of their flyaway high definition broadcast systems, amongst other kit, which was effectively the glue holding the broadcast environment together. The main components of this system included eight HDC-1500 camera systems, one Super Motion camera and three SD link RF cameras.

All camera positions are different from one race to the next, but the production team tried to capture similar shots, such as from under a race gate, suspended from a crane for sky high views, or with wireless and handheld units, roaming the site.

Our position is integral to the success of the entire production,” says Oliver Pitkin, Presteigne’s senior broadcast engineer. “If our system isn’t up to the job, people get let down, so it’s extremely important that we get it right. Within the master control room, there is a lot of systems integration, with around 50 video signals coming in and over 150 signals leaving the room. It takes a fair amount of concentration and communication to make things go smoothly and correctly.”

Sand and salt

In addition, there were the usual challenges that you tend to encounter on outside broadcasts in the types of locations that the Air Races took place. One issue was the problem of sand and saltwater that is prone to get everywhere and can be highly destructive when mixed with sensitive equipment. Keeping equipment clean and covered was a difficult but essential priority.

An unexpected problem, however, was the appearance of ferrets that chewed fibre optic cables on the airport circuit, rendering three camera chains useless until they were repaired. The German engineers had seen this kind of thing before, but it was not a problem that could have been predicted by the UK engineers and caused some unexpected inconvenience.

Logistically, the challenge was big. Loading the equipment, shipping it, unloading it, rigging it, de-rigging, loading and starting the whole process again to go from location to location, eight in total, was no mean feat. However, the experienced team performed superbly, with speed and efficiency that enabled the entire season to run smoothly.

Overall, the team found working on the Air Races a great experience, as Pitkin explains. “There are eight races in eight different countries, so travel is great. The race itself is a novelty and quite exciting if you can get out to watch some of it. As with most sports, the camera gives you the best shots, but up close, you realise just how fast and dangerous it is. These pilots are pulling into loops and rolls at 420 kph, only 10 metres from solid ground.”

Asian Games

Presteigne has also completed a number of successful projects in Doha supplying their systems, cameras and expertise at the 15th Asian Games. Approached by both BBC Outside Broadcasts and the host broadcasters TWI/DAGBS, it was required to supply its HD systems services, as well as other equipment to several different events and venues at the Games, including the impressive opening and closing ceremonies.

Having supplied a similar HD de-rig system to the BBC at the 2005 West Asian Games with great success, it was again commissioned by the broadcaster to provide one of its HD de-rigs for the Asian Games proper. For BBC Outside Broadcasts, Presteigne supplied a full HD de-rig system to capture the events at the aquatics venue. This was responsible for broadcasting the swimming, synchronised swimming and diving competitions.

The cameras used on the HD de-rig consisted of six HDC-1500 camera channels, two Link HD wireless camera systems and two of the recently launched Super Motion HDC-3300 3x slow motion camera units. In fact, this was the first time this new 3x slow motion camera had ever been used in the Middle East, and one of the first times it had been used in the world.

The camera made its debut at NAB in 2006 and is the first 3x slow motion camera available in HD at 1080 line resolution. Presteigne was the first company in the world to place orders for this pioneering piece of equipment and both BBC Outside Broadcasts and the host broadcaster were keen to have this high performance Super Motion camera at the Games.

Floating camera

The picture quality obtained by these systems was “spectacular” according to Mark Tomlin, Presteigne’s head projects engineer, particularly during the diving, where the quality was seen at its best.

Aside from the BBC’s requirement, Presteigne were directly approached by host broadcaster TWI/DAGBS to provide all HD and SD RF equipment for all events at the huge Aspire complex, as well as other sites. Presteigne’s RF systems were used at many of the events at the Games, including gymnastics, cycling, the open and closing ceremonies, kabaddi, athletics and aquatics.

One of the most interesting camera shots came from the innovative, floating remote-controlled camera inside the Aspire complex, developed specifically for the Asian Games. Known as ICE, this was a large helium-filled indoor air balloon that was fitted with a Presteigne HD RF system and was then sent round the venue by remote control to give a bird’s eye view of many of the sports as they were happening below.

David Shield, head of engineering at TWI/IMG, says, “The equipment provided by Presteigne performed superbly with the HD aquatics coverage once again looking quite stunning.”

7 May 2007