The user is able to select the desired video latency period, for example via the ground control station, and can change the video latency period as desired including in real-time as the UAV is in flight and capturing video. One benefit of being able to select or change the latency period is to react to dynamically changing network reliability. For example, when approaching the fringe of a wireless communication range, there may be an unacceptable amount of packet loss for the lowest latency video rendering. However, by relaxing the latency requirement a more useful quality of video may be achieved by waiting for the arrival of lost packets before rendering the video.

In one embodiment, to guard against data theft, for example if the UAV crashes or is inappropriately accessed, the UAV does not permanently store the real-time video stream generated by the video camera in permanent storage.