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Most live missions start from AlphaRelay Operator. Authorized mission operators can also start Controller Livestream with New Livestream or laptop capture with New HDMI mission in the Mission Dashboard, then continue in Mission Overwatch. Before starting, check the agency’s AI mode on the device. If Hybrid cloud review is available, confirm whether this mission should use the additional online checks. The standard video-source choices do not include the phone’s own camera.

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Steps

  1. Open AlphaRelay Operator on the Android device, iPhone, or iPad.
  2. From What do you want to do?, tap Start a Mission.
  3. Under Choose video source, select Controller Screen, Video Link, Controller Livestream, or HDMI Capture Card when supported. Supported DJI controller and aircraft combinations can continue into Pilot mode from the controller-screen path.
  4. Select the operating person when the agency roster is available.
  5. Select a scenario category and template, or No scenario template.
  6. Enter the mission name your team will recognize and optionally add up to eight Mission-specific AI targets, one visible item per line.
  7. Leave Alert on people on for informational person alerts, or turn it off to suppress that routine category. Other enabled detections and mission-specific targets remain active.
  8. Tap the matching start or setup action and complete the license check if prompted.
  9. Approve Android screen capture, choose AlphaRelay Capture from the iPhone/iPad Screen Recording picker, scan or paste the authorized link for Video Link, copy the displayed livestream values into the DJI or Skydio controller, or connect the HDMI capture card.
  10. Open the usual flight app when using screen capture. Use quick, manual, or Relay voice events and stop the mission when finished.
Operator prevents a new start while another mission or unfinished recording is active. Use the startup recovery action to complete the existing mission normally; do not discard it to force a new start. When an online license refresh provides an agency operator roster, AlphaRelay requires a member with the separate Mission operator designation to be selected before start and records that person with the mission and field-created events. An officer, supervisor, admin, or owner can be designated as a mission operator. If the roster is unavailable, the app warns the crew and can continue without identified-operator attribution; reconnect and refresh before operational use when attribution is required. Built-in and agency-created scenarios can list specific items for AI to watch for. AlphaRelay adds those visible items to the mission for live alerts and post-mission AI Review. Officers can add mission-only items during setup and update them during the mission without restarting. Changes made without internet remain saved on the device until AlphaRelay can upload them. Organization admins manage agency scenarios under Organization Settings → Settings → Mission scenarios. Agency scenarios can also provide up to seven Quick Events. If an agency scenario has no custom Quick Events, Operator and Mission Overwatch use the standard event buttons. When the device has working internet, Operator starts remote live video automatically. The on-screen label is Live stream (WebRTC); WebRTC is only the underlying video technology. If the device is offline, screen and HDMI capture can still save work for later upload. Video Link and Controller Livestream require internet. On Android, use Pilot console → Mission → Start remote live if internet returns during a locally recorded mission. When Operational Map is enabled, Operator also starts location sharing for the selected pilot after the device has precise location access. The active mission shows whether sharing is working and lets you grant missing permission. The position is advisory, comes from the licensed device, and is not the aircraft’s location. When AlphaRelay detects a supported DJI Matrice aircraft or controller, Android Operator may show additional camera controls for wide, zoom, or thermal views; preset zoom levels; the laser rangefinder; linked zoom; enhanced thermal detail; or the laser fill light. Test every needed control with the actual aircraft, camera, controller, and installed DJI software before operational use. On integrated Android drone controllers, Operator shows a simplified centered startup and goes directly from Start Mission to Controller Screen setup. Mission name appears above scenario in both orientations. Approve the Android screen capture prompt, then operate the aircraft in the controller’s usual flight app. AlphaRelay records and streams the controller screen instead of taking over flight controls. Standard Android phones and tablets keep the video-source picker and Mission Viewer option. If Android detects a USB HDMI capture card, Operator adds HDMI Capture Card and may select it automatically. Grant the camera and USB prompts, then confirm the preview says Capturing before flight. This records the controller’s HDMI picture without recording the Android screen. On iPhone and iPad, choose Controller Screen, Video Link, Controller Livestream, or—on USB-C iPad—HDMI Capture Card. For screen capture, choose AlphaRelay Capture in Apple’s Screen Recording picker. See the iOS Operator guide. When AlphaRelay detects a supported DJI controller connection—for example, an RC-N-series remote connected to the Android device—the mission screen presents two choices:
  • Controller Screen Capture — Recommended keeps the flight app in control while AlphaRelay captures the visible controller screen.
  • Pilot mode gives AlphaRelay a direct connection to supported DJI aircraft controls. It stays locked until you confirm a listed aircraft and AlphaRelay verifies the live connection.
For a DJI Avata with compatible DJI Goggles, first show the goggles live view in DJI Fly on the Android device. Compatible hardware can enable Goggles Mode automatically, but AlphaRelay waits for you to tap Start Mission. It then skips ordinary scenario selection, starts a mission with no scenario and remote live, requests screen capture, and returns to DJI Fly. For a separate controller, use Controller Livestream on a licensed Android device, iPhone, or iPad, or click New Livestream in Command Center. For DJI, copy the values into Custom RTMP. For Skydio, copy them into RTSP External Server. AlphaRelay shows the exact field names, and the setup panel closes when video starts. For laptop HDMI, click New HDMI mission in Mission Dashboard, add any mission-specific AI detections, then open Mission sidebar → HDMI Input. Connect & go live starts remote live and recoverable local evidence recording together. Use Stop & upload before End Mission. Follow Controller Livestream and HDMI Capture.

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Remote live

  • Works over validated cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or VPN internet on the pilot device
  • Starts automatically with the mission when internet is available
  • Lets Mission Overwatch users watch and log events without being on the same Wi-Fi as the pilot device
  • Can be started or retried from Pilot console → Mission if automatic setup is skipped or fails
The Local Network mission button is not shown in the current public Operator workflow. See Mission connectivity if your agency’s Android build still includes same-Wi-Fi viewing.

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Choose Controller Screen Capture or Pilot mode

Use Controller Screen Capture — Recommended when the normal DJI flight app should keep flight and camera control, when the aircraft is not in the Pilot mode list, or when AlphaRelay cannot confirm the connection. AlphaRelay records one continuous controller-screen video and prepares it for upload after Stop Mission. To use Pilot mode on an eligible setup:
  1. Select Pilot mode.
  2. Open See all 12 compatible drones with photos and check the aircraft family.
  3. Tap My drone is listed — Use Pilot.
  4. Keep the aircraft and controller powered on and connected while AlphaRelay checks the live DJI flight-controller connection.
  5. Wait for Supported aircraft confirmed. Pilot mode is ready. before tapping Start Mission.
In Pilot mode, use the High quality (4K) switch when the mission needs that aircraft recording profile; otherwise AlphaRelay applies the 1080p profile when supported. AlphaRelay starts or recovers aircraft SD recording after it detects takeoff, stops Live AI after landing, and can automatically close a confirmed airborne mission after touchdown while the longer aircraft-footage transfer continues. Keep the aircraft, controller, and Operator powered until the transfer is secured. Some aircraft require physical-controller takeoff even in Pilot mode; AlphaRelay detects the airborne state and continues the mission. The current Pilot mode list includes:
  • DJI Mini 3
  • DJI Mini 3 Pro
  • DJI Mini 4 Pro
  • DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise (3E / 3T)
  • DJI Mavic 3M
  • DJI Mavic 3TA
  • DJI Matrice 30 Series (M30 / M30T)
  • DJI Matrice 300 RTK
  • DJI Matrice 350 RTK
  • DJI Matrice 4 Series (4E / 4T)
  • DJI Matrice 4D Series (4D / 4TD)
  • DJI Matrice 400
If the aircraft is not listed or the live connection check fails, keep Controller Screen Capture selected and fly from the normal DJI flight app. A model appearing in the list does not replace a successful connection check and a training test with the same controller, aircraft, camera, and firmware.

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DJI Avata with DJI Goggles

  • Runs on a separate Android phone or tablet with DJI Fly
  • Uses the DJI Fly goggles live view as the live and recorded source
  • Starts the mission and remote live automatically with no scenario template
  • Uses compatible DJI Goggles and their paired controller for aircraft operation
  • Finishes the captured DJI Fly video and saves it for upload after Stop Mission

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After start

  • The mission appears in Mission Dashboard after AlphaRelay sends its saved information to the agency account.
  • Footage and events may upload during or after the mission depending on connectivity.
  • Use Alert on people to change routine person alerts without restarting. Other controls depend on the agency’s AI mode. Where weapons are shown as always on, turning off people alerts leaves weapon checks active. See Live AI alerts.
  • Use Ask Live AI in Android/iOS Operator or Ask AI in Mission Viewer to ask a typed or dictated question about one current live picture. Saved answers are shared with Mission Overwatch; verify each answer against the live video.
  • Tap Stop and complete mission or Stop Mission in Operator (or End Mission in Mission Overwatch) when field work is done.
  • If location sharing is enabled, confirm the person’s saved route finishes processing before sealing the evidence record.
→ Watch in Mission Overwatch · Android Controller Screen Capture · Video Link · Controller Livestream and HDMI Capture · iPhone and iPad · DJI Avata with DJI Goggles · Connectivity