A
Full view
- Typical setup
- Hovering drone, fixed wide-angle camera on a 6 m+ mast
- What works
- Every stat: events, tempo, distances, physical, tactics
- What is limited
- Small players if the camera is too high or the resolution too low
Filming tips
The fuller the view, the more stats you get. Here's how to make the most of the gear you already own.
The three capture profiles
B
Tracking view
- Typical setup
- Sideline tripod with panning, operator following the disc
- What works
- Events, tempo, pass distances, catch heatmaps
- What is limited
- Incomplete physical and tactical stats: off-screen players aren't tracked
C
Free view
- Typical setup
- Handheld phone, variable zoom, low angle
- What works
- Events and tempo
- What is limited
- No reliable distances in metres
The profile is assessed per video segment: if the drone lands to swap batteries, stats are computed on the segments where they are reliable.
Universal settings
- Resolution
- 1080p minimum, 4K recommended: four times more pixels on the disc.
- Frame rate
- 30 fps minimum, 60 recommended. At 60 fps a disc flying at 20 m/s moves 33 cm between frames.
- Shutter speed
- 1/500 s or faster in daylight. Motion blur is the main reason discs get missed.
- Stabilization
- Helpful handheld, but turn it off on a tripod: it crops and warps the image.
- Zoom
- Avoid zooming during play. Each zoom forces the field calibration to be recomputed.
- Keep rolling
- Record between points too: line changes become visible.
Depending on your gear
Telescopic mast (profile A or B)
The best value setup. A 5 to 8 m mast at midfield, a few metres off the sideline, with an action camera or a phone in wide mode often captures the whole field. The higher the mast, the better the precision at the far end.
Drone (profile A)
The richest view, provided you stay at an oblique angle from the sideline (30 to 50 m up, camera tilted 45 to 60°). Too high and players and disc become tiny. Bring spare batteries: UFStats stitches the files of a single game.
Phone (profile B or C)
As high as possible (bleachers, pole, fence clamp), landscape, no digital zoom, 4K or 1080p at 60 fps.
Drones are regulated. In Canada, check Transport Canada's rules before flying near people; micro-drones under 250 g have lighter requirements. UFStats does not give legal advice.
Recommended kit by budget
| Approximate budget | Kit | Resulting profile |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | Your phone on the fence or in the bleachers | B or C |
| $150 to $300 | 5 to 7 m telescopic mast + clamp for a phone or an existing action camera | A or B |
| $400 to $800 | Mast + wide-angle 4K 60 fps action camera | A |
| $500 to $1,200 | 4K micro-drone under 250 g + spare batteries | A |
| Over $1,500 | Dedicated AI camera | A |
Ballpark figures, check prices when buying.