May the (Sky)Force Be with You

WCAU in Philly has a new toy to play with.

The NBC O& has taken the wraps of SkyForce10, the station's news helicpoter.

The unit includes four cameras (two interior and two exterior), a telestrator that allows reporters and photographers to interact with live video and the ability to stay in flight for two-and-a-half  to three hours.

"Now, we've got a multi-tiered approach," said NBC10 Reporter Christine Maddela. "Of course we have our team on the ground for every breaking news situation, but we have SkyForce10 in the air, with a journalist inside, being able to tell you what's going on -- not only what you're seeing but how that affects you and tell the story behind it. It is really a game-changer."

​WCAU says it will soon introduce Web integration that will let visitors to track SkyForce10 in real time, with a live feed from the tail camera as well as live mapping of the chopper’s location.​