Motion capture calibration using drones

A system for calibrating cameras in a live action scene, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• logic encoded in one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• configuring a plurality of reference cameras to observe at least one portion of the live action scene;
• configuring one or more moving cameras having unconstrained motion to observe one or more moving objects in the live action scene and to observe at least three known reference points associated with the plurality of reference cameras, wherein the at least three known reference points are attached to different respective reference cameras of the plurality of reference cameras, and wherein the at least three known reference points are in fixed locations in the live action scene;
• receiving reference point data in association with the one or more moving cameras, wherein the reference point data is based on the at least three known reference points in their respective fixed locations;
• and
• computing a location and an orientation of the one or more moving cameras based on the reference point data and the fixed locations of the known reference points attached to their respective reference cameras.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions when executed by one or more processors are operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• configuring a plurality of reference cameras to observe at least one portion of the live action scene;
• configuring one or more moving cameras having unconstrained motion to observe one or more moving objects in the live action scene and to observe at least three known reference points associated with the plurality of reference cameras, wherein the at least three known reference points are attached to different respective reference cameras of the plurality of reference cameras, and wherein the at least three known reference points are in fixed locations in the live action scene;
• receiving reference point data in association with the one or more moving cameras, wherein the reference point data is based on the at least three known reference points in their respective fixed locations;
• and
• computing a location and an orientation of the one or more moving cameras based on the reference point data and the fixed locations of the known reference points attached to their respective reference cameras.