AirData has launched Stream Recording and Rewind for its Live Streaming platform, giving drone programs expanded control over video during and after operations.
The update introduces three core capabilities to enhance video management. A 10-minute rewind feature permits authorized viewers to jump back through footage while the feed remains active. Additionally, stream recording saves live video directly to the user account for post-flight review, while a retroactive recording feature allows operators to initiate a save that automatically includes up to 10 minutes of prior footage.
These features address operational challenges as drone programs transition toward Drone as First Responder (DFR), dock-based inspections, and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights, where flight operators, aircraft, and decision-makers are frequently stationed in different locations. In DFR setups, drones arrive at scenes prior to ground units, while remote inspection workflows let engineers assess assets offsite. In both scenarios, key stakeholders are not always watching the feed when critical events take place.
Eran Steiner, Founder and CEO of AirData, commented, “In a live operation, the most important moment does not wait for the right person to start recording. Especially on longer ops, the operator is not recording the whole time, so a key moment can go uncaptured. That’s the problem we built this to solve. Teams can look back while the mission is still unfolding, preserve a second copy off the aircraft, and do it across any drone brand, dock, or flight app they already use.”
For public safety and utility teams, the system allows personnel to review situational context without interrupting ongoing operations. Incident commanders or analysts joining a stream after deployment can rewind to review earlier events before returning to the live view. Similarly, remote utility engineers can inspect assets passed earlier in the flight without asking the pilot to turn back or waiting for onboard SD card retrieval.
Chad Tillman, UAS, Coordinator for the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama, commented, “We have been using AirData Live Streaming for years, and Record and Rewind has given us a tremendous new tool to capture events as they unfold. Our analysts are now not only able to watch the live feeds, but can pause, rewind, zoom and capture critical details that may have been missed as events unfold. This gives the analyst more control over the data as it comes in.”
Because video data is transmitted directly to cloud storage, the recording remains preserved even if an aircraft is damaged, lost, or suffers onboard media failure. Recordings are stored in configured regional infrastructure, support customizable retention schedules according to organizational policies, and can be shared securely using PIN controls, expiration dates, and QR codes.
The system supports incoming RTMP, RTSP, and SRT streams from third-party encoders and dock-based systems, enabling consistent workflows across mixed hardware fleets. Furthermore, cloud recording provides redundant video documentation that supports post-incident reviews, training, and compliance under the FAA’s proposed Part 108 framework for routine BVLOS operations.
