By Phil Fearnley, Halo Vue Aerial Photography
When it comes to live sports broadcasting, there’s nothing quite like working at an event with heritage, prestige, and a global audience. This summer, I had the honour of being the official drone pilot for the Women’s Henley Regatta in both 2024 and 2025 — one of the most respected events in the world of women’s rowing.
Representing my company, Halo Vue Aerial Photography, I was brought on board by Giggabox Productions, who led the entire live broadcast operation with expert precision and creative flair.
A World-Class Production Team
Giggabox Productions are industry leaders in live event and broadcast production, delivering exceptional virtual, hybrid, and on-site events across the UK and beyond. For Henley, their team coordinated a full-scale outside broadcast with over 10 camera feeds, an on-site OB truck, and a talented production crew capturing every moment of the regatta for a live YouTube broadcast to global audiences.
The ground coverage was handled using Blackmagic Design cameras, ensuring a cinematic, colour-consistent look throughout the event. These ground cameras provided close-up shots from along the riverbank, start/finish lines, and interview zones.
But to truly showcase the scale, atmosphere, and rhythm of the regatta, aerial footage was essential — and that’s where I came in.
Why Drones?
While ground cameras are excellent for capturing detail and intimacy, drones add movement, perspective, and drama. With sweeping passes over the river, tracking shots that follow entire races in real-time, and stunning wide angles showing the regatta in its natural context, drone footage helps tell a more complete and visually engaging story.
Flying high above the Thames, our drone work added production value that simply can’t be achieved from the ground. It allowed us to show race progression from overhead, follow crews mid-race, and seamlessly integrate with the OB team’s multi-cam broadcast for a truly immersive viewer experience.
Equipment & Flight Operation
For this event, I used two drones from DJI’s professional lineup:
- DJI Mavic mini 3 Pro: Deployed for low-altitude tracking and smooth, cinematic close-range shots above the water keeping withing the CAA restrictins.
- DJI Mavic 4 Pro: Used for high-altitude coverage (above 50m), with its triple-lens system allowing tight zooms and detail capture even from distance.
We conducted over 100 drone flights across the three-day regatta, each one carefully planned and executed. Flights averaged around 30 minutes and adhered strictly to CAA regulations — maximum height of 400ft, and within 500m line-of-sight at all times.
Our drone feeds were hardwired into the OB truck using a combination of HDMI and SDI connections. The video signal flowed from the drone’s remote controller into a Blackmagic monitor, and then out to the OB truck via SDI — a setup chosen for its reliability over wireless transmission, especially in a busy RF environment like a live sports event.
Safety & Teamwork
At Halo Vue Aerial Photography, safety is non-negotiable. We maintained a 100% safety record across the event, thanks to detailed pre-flight planning, real-time headset comms with the OB team, and the constant support of Tom, our trained spotter on site.
I worked closely with:
- Jamie Knights – Director of Photography (DOP)
- Annika Redford – Production Manager
- Giggabox’s in-house technical team
Together, we delivered a seamless integration of aerial and ground footage that brought the regatta to life in a truly cinematic way.
Power, Precision, and Presence
All drone operations were powered on-site using external mains charging stations, with batteries cooled before recharging for maximum performance and longevity. From the early morning fog over the river to the electric atmosphere of race finals, our drones captured it all — with creativity, control, and consistency.
Final Thoughts
Being part of the Women’s Henley Regatta was an incredible experience — not just because of the event itself, but because of the professionalism and collaboration behind the scenes. Working alongside Giggabox Productions and their brilliant crew reminded me why I do what I do: to bring fresh perspectives to powerful stories.
I’m proud to have represented Halo Vue Aerial Photography at such a prestigious international event, and I look forward to more opportunities where drone cinematography can elevate live storytelling.
Until next time, Henley — see you from above.
—
Phil Fearnley
Drone Pilot & Founder, Halo Vue Aerial Photography
