In Broadcast - December 2017 - 32

32

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 7 - Issue 12 | December 2017

InFocus

A Breath Of Air

Even complex systems are becoming more
'plug and play'

As to developments in drone
technology, Tilly suggests: "It used to
be that SUAS were somewhat fidgety,
complicated systems, that only the
operator could possibly understand.
The technology has moved in a
direction that is far more intuitive.
Systems today have the operator in
mind, ease of use is a selling point.
Operators don't want to allocate an
hour's rig time at the start of a shoot
day so systems are becoming much
more 'plug and play' There are a few
very good off-the-shelf solutions out
there now that can deliver excellent
broadcast quality images."

cont'd...

Safe Operations
Meanwhile, with a number
of 'near misses' reported
near major airports, there has
been considerable publicity
concerning where and when
drone operators should be
allowed to operate, with the
UK government promising
to bring in appropriate
legislation.
Drone users in the UK may
have to take safety awareness
tests under legislation planned
by the government. Drones weighing
more than 250g could also be banned
from flying near airports, or above
400ft, in a crackdown on unsafe flying.
Police will also be given new powers
to seize and ground drones which may
have been used in criminal activity.
The Bill has been welcomed by the
pilots' union, which has warned of near
misses involving drones and aircraft.
Balpa says there had been 81 incidents
so far this year - up from 71 in 2016
and 29 in 2015. The union's General
Secretary, Brian Strutton, said: "These
proposals are a step towards the safe
integration of drones, but until the

new rules are in place the threat of a
serious collision remains." In July a
drone flew directly over the wing of a
large passenger jet as it came into land
at London's Gatwick Airport, which a
report said had put 130 lives at risk.
"The latest developments in drone
regulations in the UK have been
geared towards domestic flyers and
non-commercial operators typically
using smaller SUAS or systems more
suitable described as toys," says Rob
Tilly. "The proposed introduction
of registrations and safety courses
will not affect the vast majority of
commercial operators. Its aim is to
make the skies a bit safer, and I believe
it will."
Helicopter
Film
Services'
Jeremy
Braben
says
that
legislation is needed.
"The 'wild west' that
currently exists sees
quite a few cowboy
outfits springing up and
whilst some have done
the training with NQE
organisations and have
a PFCO (permission for
commercial operations), they don't
appear to have an understanding

of the law and safety. Others simply
choose to ignore the requirements
altogether. The legislation won't
affect those companies and operators
who currently perform their tasks in
the proper manner, with the correct
equipment and experienced crews."
Pocock
affirms:
"Most
legal
operators with their (PFCO) already
safely adhere to the rules of flying
drones. The regulation coming in is
aimed more at stopping some fella
buying a drone ... and flying it around
an airport. There will always be idiots
so hopefully this legislation will put
them off or at least make them think
before flying."

Trusted: HFS has managed to obtain
permission to operate even where strict
controls are in place

InTech

Appear Revamps Website
Joins TICO Alliance
A

ppear TV has launched a
revamped website with an
emphasis on streamlined content that
matches Appear's forward-thinking
technology.
Appear focused on condensing
the site's features to improve
ease of navigation. The site's
product information pages have
been
reorganized
into
sleek,
compartmentalised
displays
that
highlight each product's key features
and provide easy access to datasheets.
In addition, its products are
organised by market segment to easily
identify what products are applicable
in the different markets it serves, from
terrestrial to OTT, and more. Visitors
to the site will be able to more easily
locate the details they need while
still having the option to understand
Appear's products at a deeper level,
with click-throughs to advanced
product specifications.
Additionally, Appear has combined
the News and Events pages from the

previous version of the site. The fresh
design consolidates content to better
showcase pertinent information in a
more visually appealing manner. This
includes detailed updates on Appear's
latest trade show appearances,
including
complete
exhibitor
information on the company's
upcoming presence at CABSAT 2018 in
Dubai this January.
"Our goal was to restructure the
content to make a more accessible
site. The latest Appear products and
solutions that were not featured on the
old page have of course been added,
and we've modernised our logo," said
Carl Walter Holst, CEO of Appear.
"By presenting the most important
features with a modern, attractive
design, our site will now provide our
customers with key information more
efficiently. As the company and its
product lines evolve, our new site
gives us a modern platform to tell our
story."
In other news, Appear recently

announced that it has joined the TICO
Alliance to support interoperability for
broadcast IP migration.
The TICO Alliance is an open coalition
of companies united to set the bar for
next generation UHDTV infrastructure
by establishing TICO compression in
the new IP-based live ecosystem.
"Joining TICO will enable us to foster
a shared commitment to equipping
broadcasters with a seamless,
integrated and high-quality UltraHD ecosystem," said Holst. "Our
membership in the Alliance will further
embolden Appear's standing as a

Appear's new-look website

leader in the broadcast technology
industry."
Adding
the
TICO
lightweight
compression to the Appear X10 and
X20 product range will allow premium
quality UHD transport over 10G IP
networks or legacy 3G-SDI links with a
minimum of latency.
As a purpose-built hardware solution
specifically designed for IP transport,
the synergies of TICO compression
and the capacity of the X platform
optimises network bandwidth usage
while upholding video quality at a
premium level.
http://www.inbroadcast.com https://youtu.be/-rqzRckpfD0 https://vimeo.com/178928546 https://www.appeartv.com/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of In Broadcast - December 2017
