Dejero, a supplier of real-time video and networking solutions based in Ontario, Canada, is enabling renowned storm chaser Reed Timmer and his crew, Team Dominator, to push the boundaries of live streaming and scientific data collection from inside tornadoes and hurricanes.
In Spalding, Nebraska, in May, Team Dominator captured a 55mbar pressure deficit with its microbarometer in what is being described as the best tornado intercept in US history. Even with winds of 99-105km/h inside the wedge tornado, Timmer maintained uninterrupted internet connectivity through the Dejero EnGo 265 with GateWay mode.
Timmer’s armored vehicle, the Dominator 3, has been equipped with a Dejero EnGo since March 2023. Not only does the mobile transmitter provide live video transmission and encoding, but its GateWay mode enables the storm chasers to access supercharged internet hotspots from any location, even in the most challenging terrains.
“Our mission is to increase awareness of the dangers of a storm to the public, provide live alerts and status, gather scientific information and continuously engage with our subscribers as we intercept a storm,” explained Timmer.
He says that video does this better than any other medium: “We often start with over 20,000 concurrent live viewers. If we lose the signal, our entire mission is at risk and viewers begin to drop off. Dejero’s reliable connectivity not only helps us to keep people informed about a tornado heading toward their town, it also enhances our brand and credibility as storm chasers.”
With EnGo’s GateWay mode, ultra-reliable, high-bandwidth internet access is made possible using Dejero Smart Blending Technology. In this case, the Dejero device blends six cellular connections to deliver enhanced reliability, expanded coverage and greater bandwidth. Dejero Smart Blending Technology can blend multiple wired (broadband/fiber) and wireless (3G/4G/5G, wi-fi, satellite) IP connections.
Using GateWay mode, live feeds from vehicle-mounted, handheld and drone cameras are transmitted from storm locations to the Team Dominator production office in Austin, Texas. There, graphics and context are added and the packaged video is delivered as a continuous live stream to internet subscribers.
The EnGo’s GateWay mode also enables Timmer to transfer large hi-res video files from the field after the live stream, for post-production editing and upload. The team can also access important meteorological systems and scientific data via the internet from multiple devices.
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