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Platform

Connect a VMS

This page is for the integrator or control-room admin adding Nebli drones and cameras to a video management system (VMS), such as an NVR or any client that pulls RTSP. Each device appears in the VMS as one more RTSP camera, showing its live video.

Before you start

  • An Enterprise plan or the video-egress trial. Without either, the VMS page shows "Connecting a VMS needs Enterprise or the video-egress trial." and an Ask for a trial link.
  • A VMS that can open an RTSPS address (RTSP over TLS), or that tunnels RTSP over HTTPS. Nebli Drones does not serve plain RTSP.
  • The device is streaming. Only live video is served, while the source sends it.

The settings your VMS needs

SettingValue
AddressThe full RTSPS URL from the card: rtsps://rtsp.nebli.ai:8554/egress/<id>, where <id> names the drone or camera. Enter it whole: the server address alone returns 404.
Port8554, already in the RTSPS URL
TransportRTSP over TCP. UDP is refused.
EncryptionTLS 1.2 or later, publicly trusted certificate. No SRTP.
VideoH.264
Sign-inBasic, one username and password per device

1. Get the device's credential

  1. In the dashboard, open VMS in the sidebar.
  2. Find the drone or camera and click Connect.
  3. A card shows the RTSPS URL, Username and Password, each with Copy. "Shown once. Save these details before closing." Closing the card clears them.

The password works as soon as it is shown.

2. Add the device in your VMS

In your VMS, add a generic RTSP camera (not a vendor-specific driver) and enter:

  • the full RTSPS URL from the card, path included, with TLS (RTSPS) on;
  • the username and password from the card;
  • transport TCP;
  • video H.264.

Repeat for each device. Each one has its own address and credential.

To test from a computer before you set up the VMS:

ffmpeg -rtsp_transport tcp -i "rtsps://<username>:<password>@rtsp.nebli.ai:8554/egress/<id>" -f null -

Here <id> is the end of the RTSPS URL on the card. A wrong or missing credential returns 401. An unknown device returns 404.

3. Check that it is pulling

The VMS page shows each device's state. "Status is true to within 5 minutes."

  • Connected · Since a date: the VMS is pulling this device's video now.
  • Last pulled and a date: the VMS pulled it then, and is not pulling it now.
  • No pull in the last 90 days: the device has a credential, but nothing has pulled it.
  • No credential: the device is not connected.
  • Video sent this month: the video your VMS has pulled this month. Nothing stops or caps it.

When the device stops streaming

Between flights, or when a camera drops, the VMS keeps showing the last frame for up to five minutes. If video comes back in that time, it carries on in the same session. After that the session ends, and the VMS reconnects when the device streams again.

Replace or remove a credential

  • Replace password issues a new password. "The old password stops working immediately." Update the VMS with the new one.
  • Disconnect ends the device's credential. The VMS can no longer pull it.
  • Archiving or suspending a device, or deactivating the organization, ends its credential too.

What the VMS does not get

  • Recordings. Only live video is served over RTSPS. Record in your VMS. Flights recorded in Nebli Drones stay on the Flights page.
  • Telemetry and control. The VMS gets video only.