Aerial shots from an “A380” at Roland Garros

A model of an A380 “flies over” the slopes of Roland Garros with a 1D Cablecam installed by ACS France from which spectacular overhead images are collected.

Those who attend this year's Roland Garros tournament in Paris are surprised by a curious experience halfway between the latest technology and an attractive marketing operation. Above their heads flies a model of an Airbus 380 from which France Televisions is capturing impressive aerial shots of the two main fields of the sports venue in the Parc des Princes.

As part of the sponsorship agreement that Emirates airline recently formalized with the French Tennis Federation, this A380 mockup also suspends a 1D Cablecam installed by ACS France.

Located 45 meters high, the gyroscopic and stabilized aerial camera suspended from the A380 moves continuously along a 350-meter cable. This miniature A380 weighs 60 kilograms and is 2.80 centimeters long. In its construction, which lasted two months, fiberglass and polyurethane were used, making it an almost perfect replica of the Emirates A380 that currently flies twice a day to Paris.

The Cablecam 1D has an RF link with its own battery. The equipment is controlled through both programmed and live motion control software.