Parrot UAV system. Photo: Inmarsat

[Via Satellite 03-11-2015] Inmarsat’s Parrot Bebop Drone, which weighs in at just 14 ounces, has been certified for use over the Inmarsat network. The certification comes following six-months of collaboration with wireless technology provider Parrot and is part of Inmarsat’s ongoing open technology strategy announced in January.

The Parrot Bebop Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is the first commercially available drone to stream live media over Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) and BGAN High Data Rate (HDR), Inmarsat’s 3G IP streaming services. This allows high-quality aerial footage to be broadcast from anywhere in the world through the embedded 14 megapixel fisheye camera.

“The Parrot Bebop Drone will give journalists on location another valuable tool to enable them to deliver breaking news first,” said Martin Turner, director of media and enterprise at Inmarsat. “When paired with Inmarsat’s BGAN and BGAN HDR services live broadcast of aerial footage can provide a unique perspective on, for example, reports on civil disturbances and natural disasters, footage which can prove extremely expensive to get any other way.” Turner stresses that the new UAV can help film crews capture and broadcast live images that may otherwise be too hazardous to cover.