Overhead video angle wanted

Regarding vex competition videos, many times the camera follows one robot, or follows the action in close up.

  • good for details of one robot interaction with field
  • bad for getting a strategic sense of full field action

Is there a way to hold a hi-res webcam over the center of the field, looking down from a birds-eye view? That would give a much better sense of what each robot is doing and allow tracking of:

  • tracking locations of all tubes (thrown off field, under ladder, etc)
  • 1:1 robot interactions vs 2:1 robot interactions
  • view of alliance partners hindering each other
  • scoring/descoring/rescoring chase around the field
  • good overhead view of final goal alignment approaches
  • good overhead view of ladder hanging alignment
    – probably a poor view of low vs high hang
  • No audience has this view currently, so it might show new details not seen in person.

Can some camera guru calculate what elevation, wide-angle, field of view numbers to show the full 12x12 foot field at 18" high (to cover tips of the wall goals)

Maybe some arched-curved pole from the corner of the field?
Attaching to the corner of the field would be a secure place, but might have oscillation or vibration problems when robots hit the wall.

Extra credit for merging the tournament manager field software display of event/date/teams/match#/timer in a panel down the side of a wide-screen view. (wide screen is otherwise wasted, since overhead view of field is square)