Short answers, pulled from the story.
Skycam was invented by Garrett Brown, who also invented the Steadicam, in the early 1980s. It was first publicly used in fall 1984 at a preseason NFL game in San Diego between the Chargers and 49ers, televised by CBS.
The Skycam camera package weighs less than 14 kilograms and can travel at up to 13 metres per second. The spar unit, which contains the Sony HD camera and its electronics, weighs 45 pounds and stands 36 inches tall.
During the 2011 Insight Bowl on the 30th of December 2011, the Skycam crashed onto the field with 2 minutes and 22 seconds left in the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Oklahoma Sooners, nearly striking Iowa receiver Marvin McNutt. The game was delayed for about five minutes while the camera and cables were removed.
Skycam is owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which acquired it through a chain of ownership changes culminating in 2013. Former Skycam President Nic Salomon filed a federal lawsuit over the acquisition, which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit resolved in Kroenke Sports' favor in April 2021.
Skycam distorts vertical distances, making it difficult to judge yardage. This is a particular problem in short-yardage and red zone situations, which is why broadcasters like NBC switch back to traditional sideline cameras in those scenarios.
A 2001 estimate placed the cost of using Skycam at thirty thousand dollars per event. High cost, combined with limitations in computer and servo motor technology, slowed widespread adoption from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s.