Baseballs won’t be the only thing flying through the air in Texas tonight as Fox Sports has integrated drones into its World Series coverage for the first time.
The Major League Baseball World Series begins tonight, pitting the National League Champion Arizona Diamondbacks against the American League winners, the Texas Rangers. It is the first time these two teams have met in the Fall Classic, and Fox Sports’ coverage of the best-of-seven series will include footage from three specialized drones.
As Fox Sports describes, its broadcast will incorporate nearly 50 cameras and 100 microphones in total, plus three “high-flying aerial production” drones.
“Fox Sports industry-leading production technology lineup will be headlined by the use of aerial production drones for the first time in World Series history. The custom three-drone fleet, developed and operated by Beverly Hills Aerials, includes the ‘Gimbal Bee,’ ‘Hummer Lite,’ and ‘Hummingbird,’” explains Fox Sports.
Beverly Hills Aerials is no stranger to high-production sporting events. The company has delivered aerial shots for NASCAR races, the Super Bowl, Major League Baseball’s “Field of Dreams” event, and more. The company has also used its drones for extensive commercial, television, and major motion picture projects.
Alongside the three aerial cameras, Fox Sports says that its cameras include an UmpCam, which debuted in this year’s American League Divisional Series playoff games, and cameras at ground level.
Engadget reports that while Fox Sports has three drones at its disposal for the World Series, only one will be in the air at any given time.
“The pilot will be positioned in the outfield either behind or between the bullpens. While all three drones are equipped with 4K cameras, Fox says they’ll transmit 1080p HDR footage that will also be available for use on jumbo screens inside the two stadiums,” Engadget writes.
The World Series begins tonight, October 27, at 8 PM ET on Fox. Game two is tomorrow night at the same time. The first two games take place in Texas before the series shifts to Arizona for games three and four.
It has been a tough baseball season for photographers, with numerous cameras and lenses getting smashed by baseballs. One photographer was even taken to a hospital after being hit in the face by a foul ball. It would be quite the feat for a player in the World Series to knock a drone from the sky with a fly ball. Although stranger things have happened, just ask Hall-of-Fame-pitcher-turned-photographer Randy Johnson.
Image credits: Fox Sports
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