Introduction
Running an aviation live stream at the airport sounds simple — point a camera at the runway and go live. In practice, it’s anything but. Kevin Eagles, the creator behind Wellington Flights Live in New Zealand, spent years figuring out the hard way what a serious aviation live stream actually requires.
His answer, after multiple setups and a dramatic upgrade, is YoloBox.
The Problem: OBS + Laptop for Aviation Live Streaming
Kevin’s original aviation live stream setup was built around a heavy gaming laptop running OBS, an HDMI capture card, a large external battery, and a big table — all connected by a tangle of cables. Setup alone could take up to an hour.
The HDMI capture card was often glitchy and limited him to just one camera. Travelling with the kit was complicated, and recording wasn’t easy. For an aviation live streamer who needs to be mobile, reactive, and on-location at an airport, it was the wrong tool.
“I also needed a large heavy battery and a big table for it all. So many random cables and a lot of heavy equipment to lug around and up to an hour to set up.” — Kevin Eagles
He also couldn’t easily display graphics or show live comments on screen without the entire laptop-and-OBS infrastructure. It worked — but just barely.
The Upgrade: YoloBox Extreme for Aviation Live Streaming
The YoloBox Extreme was Kevin’s first YoloBox, and it immediately transformed what his aviation live stream could do.
“The YoloBox Extreme has revolutionised my stream. Suddenly I have a light setup with ability to replay landings, easily play music and zoom into my shot for extra close ups and easily record my stream in 4K.”
Setup is now half the time. Everything mounts directly to the tripod. Kevin can stay at the airport longer and run extended aviation live streams — something the old battery-hungry laptop made impractical.
“The YoloBox Extreme has been awesome for my channel and saves time with setup as well. I can stay a little longer at the airport and do a longer stream.”
Kevin’s Full Aviation Live Stream Setup
Kevin’s aviation live stream kit has evolved into a versatile multi-camera rig, with the YoloBox Extreme at the centre:
Core System
- YoloBox Extreme + Cage (mounted to tripod)
- YoloDeck (physical control surface)
Cameras
- Panasonic HC-X1500 Camcorder
- Sony ZV-E1 Digital Camera
- Sony G-Master 70-200mm Zoom Lens
- Sigma 60-600 Sports Zoom Lens
Audio
- Rode Rodecaster Pro II
- Rode NTG1 Microphone
- Audio Technica BPHS2 Broadcast Headset
Support
- Leofoto LS-365C Ranger Tripod
- Microsoft Surface Laptop
- Samsung S23 Ultra
For a typical aviation live stream, Kevin runs three cameras simultaneously: a static wide shot of the runway, a roaming zoom tracking aircraft movements, and a selfie cam. He occasionally adds a fourth — a camera pointed at Romeo, his King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, shown as picture-in-picture.
What YoloBox Extreme Unlocked for Aviation Live Streaming
Here’s what Kevin now has in his aviation live stream that simply wasn’t possible before:
- Multi-camera action — up to 3 cameras (or 4 with Romeo)
- Aviation replay — instant replay of landings for viewers
- Easy 4K stream recording
- SRT streaming — to his home PC running his website as a live overlay
- Shorter setup time — half the time vs. the old rig
- Longer battery life
- Easy camera switching via YoloDeck
- Website overlay integration
- NDI camera support
- Portability for traveling to different airports
The SRT capability deserves a mention: Kevin streams via SRT to a home PC running his own website as a custom overlay — adding another layer of production value to his aviation live stream without any extra equipment at the airport.
Romeo: The Dog Who Made It Into the Aviation Live Stream
One of the more unexpected elements of the Wellington Flights Live aviation live stream is Romeo — Kevin’s King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, who occasionally appears on stream as a picture-in-picture camera.
“I am now more confident which lets me be myself and with the YoloDeck have the ability to easily switch between cameras — even having a camera on my dog Romeo.”
It’s the kind of moment that only happens when the technical complexity is out of the way.
Final Thoughts
For any aviation live streamer considering the move away from OBS and a laptop, Kevin’s experience is about as clear-cut as it gets: lighter kit, faster setup, better quality, and more time on location.
“The YoloBox Extreme has been awesome for my channel and saves time with setup as well. I can stay a little longer at the airport and do a longer stream.”
— Kevin Eagles, Wellington Flights Live
1,656 total views, 15 views today
Zoe is a member of the YoloLiv marketing team with a keen interest in the live streaming industry. Recently completing a Master’s in Media Management, she is dedicated to exploring the dynamic world of live streaming. She is actively learning to write insightful articles that share knowledge and trends in the industry.
