Controller Screen Capture

Controller Screen Capture lets AlphaRelay run beside the usual flight app on Android drone controllers. The controller’s usual flight app remains responsible for aircraft operation; AlphaRelay captures the controller screen, streams it into the mission, records mission footage, and logs events. This is the recommended capture path. On many Android drone controllers it turns on automatically after Start Mission. When AlphaRelay detects a supported direct DJI connection, choose Controller Screen Capture — Recommended instead of Pilot mode when the normal DJI flight app should stay in control.

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Where it is available

Controller Screen Capture is available on Android-based drone controllers that can install AlphaRelay Operator and grant Android screen capture permission. It is not limited to one controller manufacturer. AlphaRelay detects known drone-controller identity strings, including DJI RC / RC Pro / RC Plus / RM / Matrice controller families, Autel smart controllers, Herelink / CubePilot controllers, and Inspired Flight GS-ONE controllers. Generic Android phones, tablets, and rugged tablets use the normal pilot workflow unless they are connected to compatible DJI Goggles or Goggles Mode is enabled manually. When the Android device is connected to a supported DJI remote controller, the mission screen may also offer Pilot mode. AlphaRelay never selects it automatically. You must confirm a listed aircraft, and AlphaRelay must confirm the live connection before Start Mission unlocks. See Start a mission for the current aircraft list and verification steps.

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Install on a controller

You do not need to enable Android Developer mode to install AlphaRelay.

1. Connect the controller to internet.
2. Open the controller web browser.
3. Download AlphaRelay Operator from the dashboard app download link. If needed, open alpha-relay.com/download.html directly.
4. When Android asks about installing unknown apps, allow the browser or file manager to install unknown apps from that source.
5. Install and open AlphaRelay Operator.
6. Grant requested permissions.
7. Activate the app with the short controller pairing code generated by an admin, or use another device license method from Devices and Licenses.

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What changes

• The controller’s usual flight app remains responsible for flight, camera, and safety controls.
• AlphaRelay disables direct aircraft commands in Operator.
• The live source becomes the controller screen instead of an in-app aircraft camera preview.
• Takeoff, Land, camera controls, and other aircraft commands in AlphaRelay are blocked.
• AlphaRelay records one continuous controller-screen video for the mission and prepares it for upload after closeout.
• Voice relay can still create timeline events when microphone permission is granted.
• Live AI follows the agency’s settings for that mission. Supported devices may use online checks with a basic device backup, or agency-enabled on-device checks. If Hybrid cloud review is offered and selected, online review supplements the on-device checks. See Live AI alerts and confirm the active status before flight.

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Start a mission

1. Open AlphaRelay on the supported controller.
2. Tap Start Mission, then choose Controller Screen.
3. Select the operator when an agency roster is available, choose a scenario template, enter the mission name, and optionally add mission-specific AI targets.
4. If AlphaRelay shows a choice between controller-screen capture and Pilot mode, keep Controller Screen Capture — Recommended selected.
5. Tap Start Mission.
6. Approve the Android screen capture prompt.
7. Wait for AlphaRelay to move out of the way, then return to the flight app.
8. Open or return to the controller’s usual flight app and fly from there.

If the controller has working internet, AlphaRelay starts remote live video automatically before it asks for screen-capture permission. The app labels this Live stream (WebRTC); no WebRTC setup is required. If the controller is offline, recording still starts, and events and footage wait to upload until internet returns. Before leaving the screen, AlphaRelay starts the Android recording process and shows a continuing notification. Recording begins after AlphaRelay is no longer the visible app, so return to the controller’s flight app before takeoff or before the part of the operation you want to capture. Use the controller’s usual flight app for flight operation. Use AlphaRelay for mission start, event logging, relay / remote live setup, and mission closeout.

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What to expect on the controller

• Android shows a persistent Controller Screen Capture notification while screen capture is running.
• The notification status may say Starting controller screen capture, Waiting for AlphaRelay to close, Recording controller screen, or the current mission-capture state.
• AlphaRelay captures whatever is visible on the controller screen. If you open Android settings, the notification shade, or AlphaRelay itself, that screen is part of the recording until you return to the usual flight app.
• If the controller shows a screen-recording or screen-casting indicator, leave it enabled for the mission. Turning it off stops screen capture.

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During the mission

• Live stream (WebRTC) is the on-screen name for sending the controller screen to remote Mission Overwatch users over the internet.
• Say relay followed by event details to create a voice relay event. AlphaRelay saves a current controller-screen screenshot with the event when available.
• Return to Operator for the active-mission screen. It shows recording, live video, Device Live AI, Mission Overwatch AI, alerts, events or footage waiting to upload, and elapsed mission time. It also provides quick events, manually entered events with screenshots, Sync now, and Stop and complete mission.
• Use Ask Live AI to type or dictate a question about one current controller-screen picture. Review the transcript before asking and verify the saved answer against the live screen.
• Use Update AI targets to change mission-only watch items without restarting. Changes made without internet stay saved on the device until AlphaRelay can upload them.
• Supported on-device checks and Android alerts can continue without internet while capture provides pictures. Sending saved events and images to Mission Overwatch waits for internet.
• If you need AlphaRelay controls during the mission, return to AlphaRelay from recent apps or the notification, make the update, then return to the usual flight app. The recording follows the visible screen.

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Stop and upload

After the flight, close the mission from AlphaRelay or from the notification:

1. Land and finish any required work in the usual flight app.
2. Pull down the Android notification shade.
3. Find the Controller Screen Capture notification.
4. Tap Stop Mission.
5. Let AlphaRelay reopen and finish mission closeout.

The notification action works the same way as the in-app Stop and complete mission button. AlphaRelay finishes the mission-long controller-screen recording, saves it for upload, closes the mission record, and removes the recording notification when capture has stopped. On some supported DJI setups confirmed during mission setup, closeout can also offer Reconnect controller for SD footage. The controller-screen recording is already safe. The mission stays open while Android lets AlphaRelay—not DJI Fly—use the USB connection long enough to copy the matching aircraft video:

1. Open DJI Fly app info and tap Force stop.
2. Open Open by default and clear DJI Fly’s defaults.
3. Return to AlphaRelay, unplug and reconnect the controller cable, and choose AlphaRelay → Just once in Android’s USB prompt.
4. Keep the aircraft and controller powered on while AlphaRelay copies the aircraft video that began during this mission.

AlphaRelay saves the matching clip for upload as an optional Aircraft original in addition to the controller-screen evidence, then closes the mission. If copying from the aircraft’s memory card fails, the mission remains open for another attempt and the controller-screen recording remains safe. Choose Close without aircraft copy only when you intend to finish with controller-screen footage alone. AlphaRelay will not attach a memory-card clip that began before the mission. If you are already in AlphaRelay, tap Stop Mission there instead. Do not force-close AlphaRelay or stop Android screen capture as the normal closeout method. Recordings waiting to upload remain saved on the device. Upload resumes automatically when working internet returns, including after the app restarts. Keep the controller powered on, and do not force-stop or uninstall AlphaRelay while uploads are pending.

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Limits

• AlphaRelay does not fly the aircraft in Controller Screen Capture.
• The captured footage is the controller screen, including native flight-app overlays, not a raw camera file.
• Android screen capture permission is required every time capture starts.
• The optional aircraft-video copy depends on the exact DJI controller, USB connection, aircraft, SD card, DJI Fly settings, and firmware. Test it in training; it is not available on every Controller Screen Capture setup.
• If microphone permission or speech recognition is unavailable, voice relay is disabled but screen capture can still run.
• Messages shown over the controller screen can affect Live AI. AlphaRelay’s online review is told to ignore notification text and AlphaRelay removes repeated alerts, but every alert still requires officer review.

→ Start a mission · Device Live AI · iPhone and iPad · Watch in Mission Overwatch · Upload footage