PAGE OCR 2 – November 2009 – The Ontario Construction Report
Air2You in Northern Ontario
Aerial photography of construction sites possible with remote controlled helicopter
didn’t have any pictures of the old bridge.”
STAFF WRITER
– The OCR Construction Report
His business has grown with a focus on
photography for commercial and govern-
Thunder Bay’s Rob Chandler can get
ment organizations.
pictures virtually no one else can get with
The aerial photography capacity allows
the first commercial photographer’s appli-
him to do things no one else can do. “The
cation of remote controlled helicopter tech-
helicopter is small enough that it can get
nology in Canada
much closer to the ground or building wall
His helicopter is certainly not a toy – the
than any conventional helicopter could
$40,000 device manufactured by Dragon-
even attempt,” he said. “And we can cer-
fly in Saskatchewan meets Transport
tainly use it to reach the roof from the inte-
Canada requirements, and has been sold to
rior.”
several police and security services in the
The remote controlled device works
U.S. and Europe. But he says he knows of
within a line of site, about 500 metres, and
no one else using it commercially, certainly
can stay in the air about 15 to 20 minutes.
for professional photography
With built-in controls, it works almost on
.
“The Air2You service is unique,” he
auto-pilot — “You point it where you want
said. “I can take shots with ‘wow’ power –
it to go an it takes you there.”
you just can’t get them any other way be-
“With our machine, we can get to loca-
cause no human, or even human-piloted
tions that might be unsafe or simply are in-
accessible except at great cost,” he said.
helicopter – could achieve the same per- ity and resolution still or video pictures, for “We can survey site conditions, show build-
spective.” about $600 an hour. ing progress above ground, and profession-
Chandler said he decided to buy the ma- Chandler’s innovation with the video ally document everything, at a fraction of
chine when he assessed the cost of conven- helicopter reflects his overall approach to the cost of conventional helicopter for arial
tional helicopter-based photography, often the photography business – and his ability photography.”
a requirement for northern Ontario con- to get shots others simply cannot access. Chandler says his service is economical
struction sites. “The flight restrictions and In fact, his business turned from a for anyone within a day’s drive of Thunder
$1,200 hourly fee for helicopter rental hobby to a professional enterprise when Bay, or in more remote locations where the
make things so expensive that only the staff at Thunder Bay City hall some of his cost of transport and helicopter rental
most essential services can justify the cost,” images on his website. “They wanted to would justify him flying in with the device.
he said. use them and buy them.” In one case, he He can be reached at air2you.ca or by
With the Dragonfly helicopter, Chandler had taken a river-view of a 100 year old phone at (807) 621-6384.
can be in the air, taking professional qual- bridge that had been replaced, “but they
The OGCA believes in supporting the
goals of our members by offering various
educational programs designed specifically
for the construction industry.
BILL 168: An Act to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act - OGCA Nov 12, 2009 until Nov 12, 2009
Part 3 - Health & Safety Technical Course 2006 - OGCA Jan 21, 2010 until Apr 01, 2010
Introduction to Project Management - OGCA Feb 03, 2010 until Feb 04, 2010
Fundamentals of Concrete Technology - OGCA Apr 15, 2010 until May 06, 2010
To register or for further details on these courses and courses being held
at your local college please visit our website at www.ogca.ca or contact
Julie Burke at the OGCA offices by email julie@ogca.ca or call (905) 671-3969
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16