Australian company TC Communications has installed its Eye in the Sky high-speed video system on a Boeing M-234 helicopter, the civil version of the CH-47 Chinook, operated by the Taiwanese fire department. Sydney-based TC is hoping that the trial on the helicopter could lead to its installation on a further two helicopters in the new year.
The Eye in the Sky system transmits real-time video, still images, voice and data via the Inmarsat satellite system. The first application of the equipment was on five Australian Customs' Bombardier Dash 8s earlier this year. The system was developed in conjunction with EMS Technologies, which developed the transceiver, and antenna manufacturer CMC Electronics.
This is the first application of the kit on a helicopter, which required additional testing and changes in configuration to take into account the blades and vibration of the helicopter, says Kevin Dennehy, sales manager at TC Communications. "All of the equipment had to be tested to strict vibration standards," he says.
The M-234 is used for firefighting and emergency rescue work. The system allows images of fires or emergency locations to be sent in real time to a command centre.
The company is in discussions with helicopter operators in Europe and Malaysia, in addition to US customs, says Dennehy. In particular, the fires in Europe last northern summer have resulted in many countries in the region reassessing their equipment, he says.
Source: Flight International
