Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories OR-7 could be recollared next month Medford weighs pre-emptive pot tax Herbicide damage might be more widespread Ballot Measure 91 at a glance Confessions of a not-very-masterful gardener Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Emergency Services Man found asleep in stolen car Grants Pass man arrested on sex abuse charges Comic book strives to teach kids to be ready for earthquakes Politics and Elections Medford weighs pre-emptive pot tax Ballot Measure 91 at a glance Cecil, Stricker to face off in mayor's race, again Commissioner Skundrick plans final four town hall meetings Medford eyes electronic sign visual pollution Education Medford School District considers gifted land for new school Loan default rate threatens Umpqua student aid Logos art teacher recognized High-tech tools Eagle Point equips kindergartners with iPads Environment OR-7 could be recollared next month Deadly deer virus may be spreading Talent earns Bee City USA designation Those without senior water rights left high and dry Stressed but off life support State news Nation - World Obituaries David Michael Coberly Ruth R. Fodal Joanne Wheatley Cobb Peggy Louise Gilley Lucille Margaret Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Multiple winners at Southern Oregon Speedway 49ers beat Chargers for first Levi’s Stadium win Martins scores 2 in 4-2 Seattle win over Portland Ducks will play nine true freshmen South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Varsity 541 College Sports Ducks will play nine true freshmen (No heading) (No heading) Ducks break camp, prep for game day SOU football team has an eye in the sky Pro Sports Multiple winners at Southern Oregon Speedway 49ers beat Chargers for first Levi’s Stadium win Martins scores 2 in 4-2 Seattle win over Portland Bradford out for season with ACL tear Bradford injures knee in Rams' win Community Sports South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Results / Standings Second season a success for Rogues Runners defend titles in Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Locals shine in Dwarf Car Nationals opener Business Latest Stories Ashland's Paddington Station takes top national prize Soul Shine Yoga and Massage to open in downtown Medford Blog: Daydreaming: Three Easy Steps Blog: It's back, back, back, back to school time Medford company joins Inc.Magazine's 5,000 fastest-growing list Real Estate News Median residential housing prices rise 10.7 percent, but may begin to level out People In Business People in business Transportation Agriculture Opinion Latest Our View: It's not the gear; it's how the gear is used The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch Other Views: NCAA must maintain academic integrity Letters to the Editor, Aug. 22 Michael Gerson: In Iraq, this is no time to lead from behind Editorials Our View: It's not the gear; it's how the gear is used Other Views: NCAA must maintain academic integrity Our View: Marijuana sales — a taxing problem Our View: Water law has outlived its purpose Our View: Karuks have a head start on casino plans Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Aug. 22 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 21 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 20 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 19 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 18 Guest Opinions The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch The power of local philanthropy Who I am and why I want to serve on the City Council City council members should be paid Lifestyle Latest stories 'Broads' are wilderness advocates, stewards Confessions of a not-very-masterful gardener New Arrivals Shayla Brooke Grether and Jesse Levi Tanner Columnist for a Day: What we see is what we've said Food Community blog: Onion pickles can wait for home-canning lull Cooking outside the box Cold Cucumber Cream Soup With Tomato Salsa Summer Squash Pasta With Green Goddess Dressing Corn on the cob butter recipes Home and Garden An August checklist for your garden Green Scene: Diagnosing common tomato troubles Lawn talk Tips for keeping backyard birds cool this summer Bath time for the birds: You can help them stay cool and clean Health Healthy Aging: Iron girls galore Community blog:Here�s How To Leave Despair For Resilience Health officials detect West Nile Virus in another Jackson County sample Community blog:Doing laundry... Healthy Aging: An udderly unlikely vacation find Hiking Faith Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East part 2 Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements New Arrivals Shayla Brooke Grether and Jesse Levi Tanner Grange Co-Op garden helps feed the hungry Medford woman graduates with honors Century Club Columnist for a Day Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs Brian Regan hands out the laughs at Britt Randall Theatre extends 'Godspell' American Idol Live! comes to the Britt Stage 'Pump Boys & Dinettes' opens at Camelot Theatre Theater Randall Theatre extends 'Godspell' 'Pump Boys & Dinettes' opens at Camelot Theatre Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Review: The joy of 'Godspell' is infectious Randall Theatre opens 'Godspell' Music Live Music in Local Clubs Jeff Addicott: A Rogue Valley Experience Guitar Circus with Peter Frampton and Buddy Guy Brian Regan hands out the laughs at Britt Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at Britt Community Events Shady Cove Tie Days Swap Meet 'Prints From the Plateau' at the Rogue Gallery Nature Walks in Lithia Park ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum World of Wine celebrates local varietals Dining NW Raw Kelly's Crepes Basil & Berries India Palace Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW OR-7 could be recollared next month ... Get Up & Go: Sunday, Aug. 24 ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Aug. 23 ... OR-7 could be recollared next month ... Get Up & Go: Sunday, Aug. 24 ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Aug. 23 ... SOU football team has an eye in the sky By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 22, 2014 @ 11:24 am Updated Aug 22, 2014 at 2:38 PM By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 22, 2014 @ 11:24 am Updated Aug 22, 2014 at 2:38 PM » Social News As the Southern Oregon University football team’s starting offense huddles behind the line of scrimmage, defensive backs coach Nathan Chin hustles off the practice field toward a white shade canopy erected on the sideline. There, sitting on the grass next to the team’s cranked-up stereo, is Chin’s target. Shaped like a chubby X, with a rotor blade at the end of each arm, it has a glossy white plastic shell and four red stripes on two of the arms. Chin picks up the remote control sitting close by, taps away at the attached iPhone for a minute, thumbs the controller’s knobs and stands back as the quad-copter drone whirs to life. No, Chin’s not taking a break from Thursday’s football practice to play with his new tech toy. He’s working. Soon, the DJI Phantom 2, no bigger than a truck’s hubcap, is hovering about 20 feet behind and 60 feet above SOU All-American quarterback Austin Dodge as he takes a snap from center Ronald Rylance. Attached to the Phantom’s belly is a GoPro camera, which records the Raiders in high definition as they prepare for their Aug. 30 season opener against Menlo College. “That was my second time (flying the drone), so that tells you how hard it is,” Chin said after landing the Phantom. “Once you figure out the controllers, it’s not too bad. And you can see what you’re filming on the iPhone.” The Phantom is SOU’s latest attempt to gain an edge on opponents while also addressing a safety issue that has plagued college football programs for decades. The traditional method of filming football practice is to place a camera operator on a hydraulic scissor lift that’s set off to the side and raise it as high as it can go –about 50 to 60 feet. But in order to capture every player on the field, SOU has used two lifts from front and side angles, then spliced the films together for study. It’s an arduous process that has risks. In 2010, a student filming a Notre Dame football practice died when the lift he was perched on fell over, pushed by a gust of wind. SOU head coach Craig Howard considered upgrading to a SkyHawk, basically a remote-control camera mounted on a pole that can be raised and lowered as needed. But the SkyHawk system costs about $5,200, a hefty bill for a small-college football program. Then Howard and offensive line coach Chris Fisk, while perusing coaching websites, stumbled across an article about UCLA, which was using a drone to film its spring practices. Intrigued, Fisk tracked down a member of the Bruins’ coaching staff to get the lowdown. Do you need a special license to fly it? No. Is it easy to learn? Yes. How’s the video? Spectacular. Then Fisk researched the cost of a drone and was stunned. For $1,200, the Raiders could get their hands on a drone, three battery packs and a case. “To think that I could buy five drones for the price of one SkyHawk made it kind of a no-brainer for us,” Fisk said. “I can’t believe that it was so inexpensive,” Howard said. “And the video you get from it is unbelievable. It’s the best I’ve ever seen because the angle you get you can see all the players. It’s like coaching on a video game.” The Phantom arrived in the mail last week Monday. The Raiders tweeted a picture of their new coaching tool, then almost immediately put it to work. So far, there has been no buyer’s remorse, though there are a few catches. For one, each battery only powers the drone for about 30 minutes, so coaches must be somewhat selective with what they chose to film. Secondly, the Federal Aviation Administration has restrictions regarding model aircraft, though none that are expected to limit SOU. According to the FAA Advisory Circular 91-57, available at faa.gov, a “model aircraft” must not fly higher than 400 feet. According to Fisk, the Raiders have yet to fly their drone above 75 feet. Since there’s virtually no limit to the drone’s placement, the SOU coaching staff is experimenting with what angles work best. Less than a week in, Fisk says they’ve already discovered some fantastic ways to take advantage of its mobility. During special teams practice, for instance, Fisk was able to fly the drone behind the ball after it was kicked and capture each player’s blocking technique, angles taken by the kickoff team, the returner’s options, everything. It was a vantage point that was previously impossible without an Xbox and a copy of the latest John Madden Football video game. “It’s a game-changer,” Fisk said. “The film is so good, it’s going to be hard watching film from normal cameras again. … You can see the steps, hand placement, the tilt of their helmets. You can see where they’re looking. I don’t think we’ve fully tapped into what we’re going to be able to do with it.” Fisk believes it's only a matter of time before drones corner the practice film market. As if to prove his point, NFL scouts from the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans showed up at Raider practices last week to evaluate Dodge, and both saw the drone at work, were impressed, and said that they would take the idea back to their bosses. And really, who could watch a quadcopter zoom across the sky and resist the urge to grab the remote and take it for a ride? "You remember what it's like to be a kid again," Fisk said, chuckling, "because it's like a remote-control car, but on steroids." Joe Zavala can be reached at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 22, 2014 @ 11:24 am Updated Aug 22, 2014 at 2:38 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Top Player Reference Monikers for 2014 Season Aug. 24, 2014 at 3:06 pm Fantasy Mock Draft Strategy, Sleepers Cheat Sheet and Tips Aug. 24, 2014 at 3:01 pm Top Fantasy Picks, Sleepers and Overall Rankings of Best RBs Aug. 24, 2014 at 2:54 pm Is Dalton a Fantasy Steal? Aug. 24, 2014 at 1:00 pm Caldwell, Latimer's Fantasy Outlook After Welker Injury Aug. 24, 2014 at 8:21 am Tips for Getting Most out of Preseason Mock Drafts Aug. 24, 2014 at 7:00 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501