SKYSAFE CUSTOMER CASE STUDY

Farmers Insurance Open

SkySafe’s drone detection technology provided full situational awareness and real-time airspace security at the PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open—keeping players, fans, and sponsors safe while protecting valuable broadcasting rights.

Perched atop the coastal cliffs of La Jolla, California, Torrey Pines Golf Course offers two world-renowned championship 18-hole courses. As the annual host of the PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open, the course draws global media, fans, and golf’s elite competitors. Its unique status as the only PGA TOUR event played on a public municipal course makes Torrey Pines a celebrated and iconic destination.

The Challenge

The Farmers Insurance Open, managed by The Century Club of San Diego, is one of the premier events on the PGA TOUR, held annually at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. With thousands of spectators, extensive media coverage, and high-profile players on site, tournament organizers faced growing challenges in managing airspace security.

Unauthorized drones posed increasing safety and operational risks. Rogue drones had the potential to crash or drop dangerous payloads on the course, endangering player, staff, and spectator safety. At the same time, organizers needed to protect exclusive broadcasting rights. Unapproved drones capturing aerial footage threatened the integrity of live coverage and sponsorship agreements.

“The players, the fans, and our sponsors are our number one priority,” said Andrew Harmatys, the tournament’s Chief Operating Officer. “We need to make sure they’re safe, and if there is anything we can do to add to what we’re pursuing to protect those individuals, we’re absolutely going to do it.”

The tournament’s Unified Command team needed a solution that could differentiate between approved and unauthorized drones, provide real-time visibility into drone activity, and help facilitate a rapid response from local law enforcement to neutralize drone threats.

"The players, the fans, and our sponsors are our number one priority. We need to make sure they’re safe."

Andrew Harmatys
Chief Operating Officer
Farmers Insurance Open

The Solution: SkySafe

SkySafe provided the Farmers Insurance Open with a reliable airspace security solution that required no hardware or infrastructure investment. Within a week of signing the contract, SkySafe visited Torrey Pines to map out coverage for both golf courses and ensure everything was ready for the tournament.

“The whole process with SkySafe was extremely simple. Once we signed the contract, we were out at Torrey Pines scouting both courses, understanding what needed to be done,” said Harmatys. “It was a one-stop shop—we didn’t have to invest in any hardware or equipment.”

The cloud-based drone detection software allowed tournament organizers to easily whitelist approved drones, such as those used by NBC Golf Channel and CBS for live broadcasts. This meant authorized media drones could operate without interference while still being monitored. SkySafe also alerted the Unified Command team when unauthorized drones were detected, including their exact launch location. This precise information allowed organizers to work directly with local law enforcement, who quickly responded to locate drone operators and prevent any event disruptions.

“The whole process with SkySafe was extremely simple. Once we signed the contract, we were out at Torrey Pines scouting both courses, understanding what needed to be done. It was a one-stop shop—we didn’t have to invest in any hardware or equipment.”

Andrew Harmatys
Chief Operating Officer
Farmers Insurance Open

The Results

During the week of the tournament, SkySafe detected 12 unauthorized drones above the course. Nine of these incidents led to successful engagements by law enforcement, who were able to locate the operators and intervene to prevent any disruptions.

“With SkySafe, we could actually see where drones were launched,” Harmatys shared. “From there, we worked with local law enforcement to dispatch officers and engage with those operators immediately.”

SkySafe’s whitelisting feature allowed approved drones, such as those used by NBC Golf Channel and CBS, to operate smoothly without interference, ensuring uninterrupted live broadcasts and protecting valuable media rights. Unauthorized aerial footage was prevented, and the integrity of the event remained intact.

SkySafe provided tournament organizers with clear visibility into all drone activity, ensuring the safety of players, fans, and staff. Its success in enhancing situational awareness and overall event security has made SkySafe a key part of the team’s toolkit for future tournaments.

“If you have the ability to further protect your fans, sponsors, and players, why wouldn’t you do it?” Harmatys added. “I know that SkySafe will be part of the Farmers Insurance Open moving forward.”

“I know that SkySafe will be part of the Farmers Insurance Open moving forward.”

Andrew Harmatys
Chief Operating Officer
Farmers Insurance Open

Key Takeaways

Problem

  • Unauthorized drone activity during a major sporting event
  • Potential safety risks to players, fans, and sponsors
  • Need to prevent unauthorized aerial footage

Solution

  • SkySafe’s drone detection software deployed in a week
  • Real-time alerts facilitate law enforcement coordination
  • Whitelisted authorized drones (NBC Golf Channel, CBS)

Benefits

  • SkySafe’s drone detection software deployed in a week
  • Real-time alerts facilitate law enforcement coordination
  • Whitelisted authorized drones (NBC Golf Channel, CBS)

See how SkySafe delivered airspace security for one of golf's biggest events.

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