Masterclass supported by demonstrations of automated and AI-enabled cameras and production platforms
Broadcast Solutions Group, a leading system integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast and media industry, showcased its latest broadcast and VAR solutions with its partners at SportsInnovation 2026. The demonstrations showed how these cutting‑edge tools are set to transform sports coverage at every level. As a complement to the presentation, the company also hosted a masterclass that showed how these innovations contribute to the future of sports.
SportsInnovation 2026, held at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, is a unique event that allows vendors and service providers to present the latest sports products and prototypes in real-world action, during live matches on the pitch.
“Our goal was to show how next-generation broadcasting and refereeing technologies are reshaping live sports production,” said Jens Fischer of Broadcast Solutions, who moderated the masterclass. “We presented solutions that are available today, bring real value to production, and are proven practical problem solvers.”
The innovations presented in the masterclass were demonstrated on the pitch. The products on show – developed by Broadcast Solutions subsidiaries and strategic partners – included ways to reduce production costs through AI-driven cameras, as well as innovations to maintain image quality in all weathers and environments.
For the first time ever, PMT (a Broadcast Solutions subsidiary) presented a rain deflector on an aerial camera system (Spidercam), ensuring clear pictures in all weather conditions when physically cleaning the lens is simply not possible.
Also on display at SportsInnovation was a new Remote Production OB van, which Broadcast Solutions is building with DMC Production—a fully software-based concept that redefines live sports production. The compact truck provides only essential on-site infrastructure, while the entire 16-camera production is managed remotely from DMC’s hubs in Munich, Hilversum or any of the other DMC Broadcast Centers via Grass Valley AMPP, the central workflow backbone. This cloud-native platform handles video and audio mixing, multiviewing, routing, and NMOS control, removing the need for traditional hardware routers. With just a 100 Mbps internet connection to the hubs for management and control, the system enables high-quality, low-latency production from anywhere, demonstrating a lean, scalable, and future-ready approach. The new concept makes remote production over low capacity venue networks effortlessly possible.
Partner Studio Automated demonstrated an AI-solution to automatically steer cameras just like a human operator. The system is trained out of the box for a number of sports (including handball and basketball) with multiple camera positions within in each sport. For football the system is already trained for “main-high”, “main-close” “16 m-high” and “behind the goal” as well as the technical feed. In addition to PTZ cameras, Studio Automated also supports large-lens remote heads, like the Egripment Hothead 3. By intelligently automating key cameras, it opens up high production values to tier two and tier three sports, as well as providing excellent feeds for VAR and FVS.
Skynamic presented its ultra-lightweight drones, certified to fly over audiences and under rainy conditions. Weighing as little as 99 grams, and fitted with prop guards and other protective measures, they are perfectly safe indoors and outdoors. Skynamic also showed a drone with a gimbal attached, providing stabilised high quality footage in a very small package.
Broadcast Solutions together with SAPEC demonstrated the next generation corner cam system. It features two movable integrated cameras: a full PTZ head at the top of the post, and a panning camera at the bottom. It gives the host broadcaster great shots to cover action on the sideline; it delivers close pictures during a corner kick; with four additional cameras on each goal line it supports the referee in tight calls; and because it is ideally placed for goal celebrations it generates great social media content. The system – which is fully certified by FIFA and IFAB for safety – offers the same or better coverage of sideline action and decisions than is achieved by Steadicam runners.
“Every two years SportsInnovation is a unique possibility to demonstrate the next generation of sports production tools to a wider expert audience,” said Maximilian Breder, Co-CEO of Broadcast Solutions. “It’s an exclusive event that allows us to gather first-hand feedback from industry leaders all around the world. Our presentation of advanced camera technologies attracted a great deal of interest from delegates, and we greatly valued the interactions and comments.”