Overview
Teleoperation lets a human operator see and control a robot, vehicle, or hardware system from another location. Use it when a person needs realtime situational awareness and continuous control, such as driving a rover, piloting a drone, positioning a camera, or supervising a robot in the field.
LiveKit provides the realtime media and data transport between the robot and the operator. The robot publishes cameras as video tracks, while the operator sends control input over data tracks. Your app defines the command format, connects to the robot's local control system, and implements the safety behavior for your hardware.
Common patterns
Teleoperation apps commonly combine several elements:
- Low-latency video: Provide video from one or more robot cameras.
- Control commands: Accept input from a joystick, gamepad, keyboard, touchscreen, or custom operator console.
- Telemetry: Display battery state, robot position, network status, or sensor readings.
- Control coordination: Ensure only the active operator can move the robot.
Next steps
For implementation details, follow the teleoperation guide: