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After GeoWeek this year, we caught up with Michael Intschert, President of TALOS Aviation, Stephen Ambagis, owner of Resource Mapping Hawaii, and Aaron Schepers President of Cornerstone Mapping, Inc., to chat with them about what a typical flying day in their lives looks like.
Flying in less-than-ideal conditions is not only dangerous, but it can affect the quality of the data being collecting. If the data is affected due to poor weather conditions, the survey team might have to do the same flight all over again to collect more accurate data.
Before heading to the airport, survey pilots also must check airspace with air traffic control to make sure there will be enough room for their job, and check if there are any temporary flight restrictions.
This is also the time to review the survey plan, the altitude and speed required, and consider hazards that may be in the flight plan. When these checks are done, it is time to fly to the surveying location.
These time frames may vary based on the time of year (example: the sun rises later and sets earlier in the winter) and where you are in the world (latitude effects sun angle in different parts of the world).
Whether the team is flying lidar, cameras or both, they expect to be in the air anywhere from 4-8 hours. When flying for more than 4 hours, they usually have to work an hour into the schedule for fueling the aircraft, unless they have extended range fuel tanks or auxiliary fuel to extend flying time (also known as tip tanks since they are added to the tips of the wings).
While in the air or on the ground, there are many challenges survey pilots, and their teams can face. It is important to be ready to troubleshoot. Being diligent in pre-flight checks and flight planning can aid to minimize challenges in the air. Below are 5 common challenges that survey pilots can face.
Being a part of a manned aerial survey team is a fascinating and fun job, days on the job vary yet still have consistency in workflows. Survey pilots have a flexible yet demanding schedule that requires lots of travel. Getting to see the world from an aerial view is breath taking and a wonderful thing to look forward to everyday. Though this job is fulfilling, it is also technical and requires precision.
Our goal at ClearSkies Geomatics is to make your job easier. We aim to provide our clients globally with high-quality aerial survey equipment at a competitive price. Check out our aircrafts, lidar, and medium/large format camera for lease and for purchase.
In order for aviation to be "incidental" to business, you need to remove aviation from the business and see if that changes the fundamental character of the business. If the data you're selling is something you could collect just as well without an airplane, you might have an argument. Certainly selling any of the actual photos taken is verboten.
I tend to favor the most permissive interpretations, and would be inclined to say that you could do this on a Private Certificate, but the legalities would hinge on how your characterize your business.
For example, if your business model is interpreting, processing, packaging and selling a data product, and the raw data could also be gathered by means other than flying, then one could argue that flying is incidental to collecting the raw data. (saving hours or days of driving - just like flying vs driving to meet a client to sell life insurance is incidental to the act of selling.)
If, however, you market yourself to the public as an on-demand aerial survey company you would put yourself in a very different legal position. If you have concerns about this you would be wise to consult with an aviation attorney.
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Tour departure times, flight durations, routes, and viewing may vary due to weather and other uncontrollable events. We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. Late cancels and no shows pay full fare. We reserve the right to refuse service. Intoxicated passengers will not be allowed to board the aircraft or participate in the sightseeing tours. No scuba diving activities with-in 24 hours of scheduled tour time. No refunds will be given to intoxicated individuals. 4-passenger minimum required for all prepaid vouchers.. All prices are subject to applicable taxes and fees. All prices are subject to change. All passengers are required to sign an assumption of risk waiver. Minors must have parent or legal guardian consent. We have a zero tolerance safety policy. If for any reason our trained staff feel our aircraft and/or equipment is not functioning properly, we reserve the right to reschedule. We apologize in advance. Please click here to view our assumption of risk waiver.
FAST is focused on reliable, accurate, and rapid aerial survey data acquisition. We use the most advanced proven methods to gather site data. This data includes grades, elevations, volumes, areas, lengths, and much more. F.A.S.T. operates Internationally servicing Florida, the Caribbean, South America, the EU, and the USA. Not only are we fast, we are F.A.S.T.
Using cutting edge technologies including drone surveying, aerial surveying, 3D CAD, topographic mapping and more, FAST collects, creates, models, and transforms data for construction, engineering, and government agencies in a rapid and efficient manner. We provide a very wide range of data collection processes that encompass surveying and mapping, road works, site work, volume calculations, topographical maps, elevation maps, environmental maps, engineering deliverables, and more.
Aerial survey is a method of collecting geomatics or other imagery by using airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, balloons or other aerial methods. Typical types of data collected include aerial photography, Lidar, remote sensing (using various visible and invisible bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as infrared, gamma, or ultraviolet) and also geophysical data (such as aeromagnetic surveys and gravity. It can also refer to the chart or map made by analysing a region from the air. Aerial survey should be distinguished from satellite imagery technologies because of its better resolution, quality and atmospheric conditions (which can negatively impact and obscure satellite observation). Today, aerial survey is sometimes recognized as a synonym for aerophotogrammetry, part of photogrammetry where the camera is placed in the air. Measurements on aerial images are provided by photogrammetric technologies and methods.[1]
In order to carry out an aerial survey, a sensor needs to be fixed to the interior or the exterior of the airborne platform with line-of-sight to the target it is remotely sensing. With manned aircraft, this is accomplished either through an aperture in the skin of the aircraft or mounted externally on a wing strut. With unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the sensor is typically mounted under or inside.
Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc. is a full service photogrammetric mapping and geospatial data firm. Our mission is to be recognizedworldwide as the number one aerial survey company of choice. We are committed to provide the best quality, flexibility, customer service, and performance in the industry.Our goal is to build strong relationships, demand safety at all levels of operation and continue to support the entrepreneurial spirit that has been the cornerstone ofour company's rich heritage.
Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc. provides Aerial Photography, Digital Mapping, LiDAR, GIS Base Maps, Digital Oblique ImageryParcel Mapping, Digital Orthophotography and related products. We at Williams offer a full service photogrammetric mapping and photographicfirm with over 100 years of combined experience. View some of our products below to find out more information or clickhere for even more information about what Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc. can offer to you.
The two major features of Photogrammetric Mapping are Planimetric and Topographic Mapping. Planimetric mappingincludes and identifies physical features such as roads, buildings, and vegetation, while Topographic Mapping is acollection of break lines and spot elevations. This method of mapping is a primary source for the creation of Digital ElevationModels (DEMs) and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs). Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc. has over 100 years of experiencecreating both planimetric and topographic maps.
Orthophotography is commonly used as base maps in the Geographic Information System (GIS). These maps are compiledwith the collection of aerial photographs, which are oriented through trigonometric processes and then molded to theground elevation data you prefer. After this process is complete, the final product is what is known as an OrthorectifiedBase Map.
Power companies take notice! Need LiDAR for your transmission lines? Think that the helicopter platform is the only wayto get the point density you need? Williams has modified single engine, slow flying, fixed wing aircraft to run our LiDAR sensor.This combined with the high speeds achievable from the sensor itself will provide the point densities you need at a significantcost savings. Contact us today to discuss.
Our array of state of the art sensors allow us to acquire emulsion, digital and LiDAR datafor your projects, on your schedule. Take a look at the variety of sensors we offer to see how we can accommodate yourneeds. Click here for more information.
Here at Williams we are proud to be able to offer a large variety of products. This is partially due to the arrayof sensors that we hold in our company possession. We are able to accommodate any current project you have or any project youwill in the future. We hope that our sensor descriptions are informative and that any question you may have has been answered.However, if they were not we encourage you to ask any questions. Please visit our Contact page if there is anything we might be able to help with.
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