A World Premiere in Air Sports Media: Streaming the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Live from the Cockpit
09/09/2029 - The sport of sailplane racing presents one of the most uniquely demanding broadcast environments in the world. On September 2, at the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix of France in Vinon, the SGP Media Group achieved a historic milestone in overcoming this challenge: the successful deployment and live broadcast of our newly developed on-board camera module, after months of ground testing.
A Technical Breakthrough in the Alps
Transmitting high-definition, low-latency video from a glider flying at 250 km/h through the French Alps, while maneuvering tight thermal climbs from a compact cockpit, is a significant challenge. During the Vinon SGP, our custom module maintained a seamless live feed from a two-seater glider operating at altitudes up to 3,000 metres. In a rugged mountainous region where standard cellular coverage is notoriously fragmented and unpredictable, this proof of concept represents a massive leap forward for air sports media.
This success stems from a pivotal engineering pivot made early this year. Moving away from off-the-shelf, low-cost action cameras, our team engineered a custom, safe, and highly reliable broadcasting solution tailored specifically for soaring environments. Powered directly by a standard glider battery with minimal power consumption, the module prioritizes cockpit safety: every component incorporates built-in self-extinguishing thermal protection in the unlikely event of a malfunction or overheating.
The Minds and Mechanics Behind the Module
Ground testing in Vinon with a standard Glider Battery. It took days of testing and temperature monitoring before the first flying test.
Spearheading the design and development of this groundbreaking technology are Antoine Havet, Jean-David Thoby, and Sébastien Chaumontet. Their combined expertise has resulted in a bespoke system tailored exactly to the extreme demands of glider racing.
The module's architecture consists of multi-bonding antennas, cutting-edge 8K encoders, and high-definition cameras. Crucially, the system offers complete remote operability: camera angles and feeds can be selected and controlled directly from the ground by our production team, from anywhere around the globe. To ensure that no dramatic moment is ever lost to a momentary signal drop, the camera feeds are recorded locally within the encoder while simultaneously being transmitted live to the Broadcast Director. This allows post-production editing for Social Media, Documentary production and more.
Industry Trust and Collaboration
This project has been a collaborative effort fueled by the trust of our partners. We extend our deepest gratitude to the AAVA (Vinon Gliding Club), specifically President Philippe Souquet and Loic Martin, for their instrumental role in piloting the two-seater glider and testing the module during the event.
We also want to thank the FAI and the IGC for their unwavering support and shared vision to make our sport more visible and accessible to fans worldwide. When Antoine Havet first presented our initial tests and technical roadmap at the FAI General Conference in Helsinki in November 2025, the project captured significant interest from FAI members and Airsports commissions. Today, that vision is a proven reality.
The Roadmap to Chile 2028
Kévin Faur (LB) testing the antenna & installation of the On-Board Module in the JS3, on September 3.
While the proof of concept is undeniably successful, our R&D continues. We are actively finalizing the software coding and hardware refinements required for seamless deployment. Our immediate roadmap includes:
Winter 2026 - 2027: Development and production of more modules, as well as tests in Bona Bona SGP.
Spring 2027: Deploying several finalized camera modules across the European SGP events to deliver unprecedented, multi-angle live streaming coverage.
January 2028: Broadcasting a spectacular, fully integrated live viewer experience for the SGP World Final in Chile.
For the SGP Media Group, this is one more crucial box ticked in our mission to make the invisible visible. By bringing audiences directly into the cockpit, we are making sailplane racing more accessible and thrilling than ever before, driving immense value and engagement for our sponsors, partners, and future investors.
