Should you spy a strange contraption hovering over Spaulding Field in the future, don’t panic — it may be the latest in UCLA’s embrace of technology.

The Bruins rolled out a new sound system on Wednesday, but head coach Jim Mora said that won’t be the team’s last high-tech addition.

“The next step — and we will get to it, it’s just going to take us a while — is they’ve got these drones now that can hover over your practice field with a video camera,” Mora said. “What we eventually want to do is get a drone because that’s another perspective.”

Tennessee tried a similar idea last week, using what looked like an eight-pronged helicopter at its spring practice. An upgrade on the cable-suspended Skycam used in television prospects, the “drones” also require that UCLA amp up its fundraising efforts. A Cinestar Octocopter, used in the film industry, can cost around $10,000.

The aforementioned sound system — the CoachComm Tempo, to be exact — looks downright medieval in comparison.

Already used at other schools such as Utah and Oregon, the system allows music, crowd noises and even voiceovers to be pre-programmed. The system also syncs to a game clock to help make practice sessions more efficient.

Mora added that he hopes the school will break ground on a new practice facility in a year. In the meantime, the Bruins are working on some upgrades to existing structures, such as replacing tarps and painting sheds. Meeting and locker rooms have already undergone some changes.

Image courtesy of VilleHoo under Creative Commons.