Drones are changing the way public safety teams handle emergencies, especially during large-scale operations and multi-agency response situations. In complex scenarios like severe weather events, large fires, search-and-rescue missions and major public gatherings, multiple agencies collaborate to manage resources and respond effectively.
In these situations, drones provide real-time intelligence, enhancing situational awareness for all responding agencies. Sharing livestream video securely across multiple agencies is crucial for effective collaboration, coordinated efforts, timely decision-making and efficient resource allocation.
An antiquated process with security concerns
Current methods for sharing drone livestreams are outdated, slow and pose security risks. They typically require manually adding authorized individuals to distribution lists, which slows down rapidly changing situations where secure, real-time information sharing is essential.
This is particularly challenging for smaller agencies with limited drone teams and resources. They need to distribute live feeds immediately without extensive preplanning. The same need for a streamlined process applies to special or covert operations involving multiple agencies, where secure and immediate access to live feeds is crucial.
A new, efficient and secure way of sharing
Motorola Solutions CAPE drone software offers a solution to the challenge of securely sharing a livestream feed from a drone. CAPE allows drone teams to generate a secure QR code or link for live operations, which can be shared instantly with all involved personnel and agencies. Incident Commanders can print and post the QR code on mobile operations trailers for easy access, eliminating the need for individual additions to the system.
This QR code or link-sharing method is effective in various scenarios, including large emergency responses, special operations, and events requiring multi-agency coordination. By using this feature in CAPE, smaller agencies can expedite live feed sharing without extensive preplanning, and response teams can scale operations quickly. This enhances collaboration and communication, leading to more effective emergency management.
In tactical deployments requiring immediate action, the QR code or link-sharing capability is particularly beneficial. Unlike pre-planned responses in Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations, tactical deployments demand swift access to live streams.
How is a QR code secure?
QR codes – by nature – are built to share information with anyone who scans them. However, CAPE introduces a security layer into the QR experience that is unique in the industry. The CAPE QR code or link is unique to every operation, encrypted for secure access and requires users to provide their name and agency information, and it captures their IP address for audit purposes. This ensures a secure record of who accessed the live stream and from where, helping maintain the integrity and confidentiality of operations.
How does it work?
Creating a QR code is straightforward through the CAPE Command or Operations Page. A livestream manager or admin can generate and share the QR code via email, text, Slack, WhatsApp, and other platforms. This ensures non-CAPE users can easily access the live stream.
The QR code’s validity is set to 24 hours for operation livestreams but can be extended for more prolonged operations. For single livestreams, the QR code is valid for the duration of the flight session. Users can view up to 10 different livestreams from any internet-enabled device, providing flexibility and eliminating the need for temporary users to download the CAPE Command desktop application. Only real-time livestreams are available to non-CAPE users, keeping historical videos secure for registered CAPE users.
Available for all CAPE users
The Operations and QR code sharing feature is available across all CAPE tiers—Standard, Plus, and Premium. By addressing the need for rapid, secure, and efficient information sharing, your agency can accelerate emergency response and tactical operations by managing crises with CAPE.
