Prepare for drones to yet again reach places they’ve never hovered before, as Fox Sports deploys the first UAVs ever flown during World Series coverage when the Arizona Diamondbacks start their best-of-seven battle against the Texas Rangers tonight.
Fox Sports says it will introduce drone perspectives during broadcasts for the first time in its own World Series history – as well as that of Major League Baseball. It previously used the craft in All-Star and Field of Dreams coverage, as well as USFL play.
Video tech aboard the three UAVs is part of a wider 52-camera Fox Sports armada that includes a FlyCam, three DirtCams, 13 Super Motion, and three RF cameras. There will even be a sensor fitted to the top of the plate umpire’s mask to give viewers real-time confirmation of terrible pitch calls – an innovation debuted in recent American League division series.
Deployment of drones means that in addition to ground-level camera views of runners sliding into bases, Fox Sports feature players from aerial perspectives as well. When that happens, alas, stars will be doing things a great deal less exciting than diving into second or backhanding a screaming liner at short – but it’s only the first World Series for UAVs, so give them time to up their game.
Fox Sports intends to use its drones to spice up some of the slower periods of games, like pitchers leaving the mounds after retiring the opposing side, relievers trotting in from bullpens during changes, and during warm-up activity between innings.
Despite the MLB’s penchant for stupid changes to the game – the three-point shot and field goal after home runs probably up next once pitch clocks and bigger bases become old hat – it may still take a while before UAVs are flying deep inside batters’ kitchens for belt-level views of World Series walk-off drives.
Indeed, despite the precedent-setting introduction of drones to World Series games, Fox Sports is being very careful about putting its gear in the air for now.
Only one of the three first-person view UAVs customized and operated by aerial service company Beverly Hills Aerials will be aloft at any given time. Craft and their pilots will be posted behind outfield fences, in or around bullpen areas, sporting 4K cameras and transmitting 1080p HDR footage once aloft.
And with nicknames still being an honored part of baseball tradition, Fox Sports and Beverly Hills Aerials have also taken care to designate each of their drones with special World Series monikers.
As a result, beginning tonight – and for as many of the potential seven games needed for one team to win it all – lurking somewhere behind Rangers’ right fielder Evan “Little Savior” Carter will be the FPV lineup of “Gimbal Bee,” “Hummingbird,” and “Hummer Lite.”
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