Sharing Scottish Football by Drone
- Scott
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
How HawkAye Took Scottish Football to New Heights
There's something about the roar of a crowd at Hampden that never gets old. But over the past few seasons, HawkAye has been adding a new dimension to that experience — one that no pitch-side camera or gantry operator can replicate.
We've been taking Scottish football to the skies.
From the Terraces to the Skies
When we first started working in broadcast, the ambition was simple: bring the drone perspective to live sport in a way that felt cinematic, purposeful, and — above all — safe. What we didn't fully anticipate was just how quickly that aerial viewpoint would become something producers were actively building into their coverage.
Over the past few seasons, HawkAye has had the privilege of working alongside two of Scottish football's most prominent broadcasters — BBC Scotland and Premier Sports — across not one but three major competitions: the Scottish Premiership, the Scottish Cup, and the Premier Sports Cup. Add to that the opportunity to capture the Scottish national team in action, and it's fair to say we've had a front-row seat — well, a birds-aye one — to some of Scottish football's biggest moments.
Three Competitions, One Consistent Standard
Every competition brought its own character, and we loved that.
The Scottish Premiership gave us an exciting title race, something we've not seen for years. The Edinburgh Derby we covered was electric.
The Scottish Cup game we covered at Ibrox was another example of how drone can be used - not only for the football, but the wider spectacle. Of course, covering the final with the cup lift was another iconic moment.
The Premier Sports Cup brought high-stakes knockout football with a pace that kept us on our toes.
Lastly there was the national team. Capturing Scotland at international level is genuinely special. When you're hovering above a stadium full of supporters united behind the same cause, you feel it — even from 120 metres up. The game we covered was extra special as it was the send off for the team before they headed to the world cup.
Safety First, Always
Broadcast drone work at live sporting events is not something you improvise. The crowds, the airspace, the coordination with stadium operators, broadcast directors, and safety teams — it requires meticulous planning long before the first drone ever leaves the ground.
At HawkAye, our approach starts well ahead of match day. We carry out full site risk assessments, liaise with the relevant authorities, and operate strictly within our CAA GVC certification. For every event, we develop a detailed flight plan that accounts for crowd density, restricted zones, and emergency contingencies. Our equipment is inspected before every flight, and we never operate in a way that prioritises the shot over the safety of everyone on the ground.
It's an approach that has earned us the trust of the broadcasters we work with — and one we take every bit as seriously as the creative side of the job.
More Than an Establishing Shot
One of the things we're proudest of is how our footage has been used. It would be easy to assume drone content at a football match is purely for sweeping aerials — stadium reveals, wide crowd shots, the kind of footage that opens a broadcast and sets the scene.
And yes, we do that. But we go further.
HawkAye's aerial footage has been integrated directly into live game coverage — used not just to show scale, but to track play, provide tactical context, and add a truly different perspective to the action as it unfolds. That's the bit that gets us excited. When the drone becomes part of the live broadcast language, not just a pre-match flourish, you know it's landing properly.
What the Producers Said
The feedback we've received from producers at both BBC Scotland and Premier Sports has meant a great deal to us. The consistent themes have been the quality of the footage, the variety of shots we're able to deliver, and — most encouragingly — that our aerial work adds another layer to the coverage that they simply couldn't get any other way.
Knowing that what we do makes a meaningful contribution to how Scottish football is presented to audiences at home is genuinely motivating. It pushes us to keep raising the standard.
The Bigger Picture
Scottish football is a sport with enormous passion behind it. The grounds, the fans, the history — it all deserves to be shown at its very best. We believe aerial cinematography, done right, helps do exactly that. It gives viewers a perspective that grounds them in the occasion while simultaneously lifting them out of it.
We're incredibly proud of the work we've done across these competitions, and we're only getting started.
If you're a production company or broadcaster looking for a trusted, broadcast-grade drone operator for live sporting events in Scotland, we'd love to hear from you.
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