The Golf Channel’s Octocopter

The Golf Channel’s Octocopter

This octocopter image was captured by Vine user Chad Coleman filming golfers at the  Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill. While it’s a little noisy, the octocopter can get previously inaccessible shots, and word is that The Golf Channel was testing it at this tournament. Watch the video from YouTube’s Slim Boogie below and tell us what you think!

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Updated: March 31, 2016 — 12:11 PM

8 Comments

  1. When flying a Quad Copter one does not notice the noise, but the one being filmed it is loud like a 747 passing over.

  2. I’m curious as to if the operator of the octocopter has a helicopters pilots license. As far as I know that is the only way you use an RC model for aerial photography legally. The FAA allows us to use RC models and take aerial video as a hobby, but if we do it for profit we need a helicopters pilot license. And the golf channel is definitely doing it for profit.

  3. Flying over spectators and participants, a recipe for disaster. Plus players complain about crowd noise, how will they feel about the Margarita Maker flying overhead?

  4. I don’t think it’s going to work. If I were a golfer I would consider the noise and proximity a distraction. And as already pointed out, it’s just not safe. Anything could happen, and if it did, it would be broadcast on every tv channel in the country.

    1. Can’t do anything nowadays. They used to fly gas models inside football stadiums at halftime until the accident.

  5. Prima donna golfers bitch if someone within earshot blows their nose “at the wrong time”, so unless there is lots of added $ going into their pockets, definitely forget this not so smart idea. And then there is the possible consequence of a “drone” crashing into the gallery. That would have a very negative effect on the hobbyist, and provide more excuses for the FAA, who in concert with other government agencies, would like to ban flying multicopters under all but the most benign circumstances.

  6. Oh yeah, that is going to go over big! It sounds like a leaf blower or lawn mower. I have witnessed golfers complaining about a guy with the hiccups standing close, or people whispering, someone sneezing, or coughing. Why is it all the other sportsmen can play with noise (the roar of the crowd can be deafening), but the prima donna golfers can’t? No, let one of the top golfers lose a hole because of this device and I guarantee it will be mothballed. As for the radio control, many of us R/Cers know of guys with expensive planes (that had redundant receivers) that still crashed… it has even happened with the holy grail 2Ghz systems that were supposed to be immune to the poblems of yesterdays radios. I know quite a few guys whos receivers became “unbound” and had to rebind them quickly (if that is possible) or helplessly watch your plane rekit its self. Fortunately in modeling events, the crowds are usually far back of the flight line so if something happens there is some time to react or the crash area is away from them. In golf, the spectators are so close and packed together that even if the octocopter didnt hit anyone, someone would be trampled.

  7. Which accident? Link?

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