Fixed wing aircraft
Advantages
More economical –lower running costs.
Less vibration.
Good endurance.
Plenty of space for equipment.
Disadvantages
Wing tip or strut can get in the way.
Continuously moving.
Can be difficult to position.
Rotary Aircraft
Advantages
Can hover – remain stationary in the air.
Can operate very low to the ground.
Greater maneuverability on the spot.
Easy to get into the right position for the required shot.
Disadvantages
High cost per hour.
Smaller lower cost helicopters have greater vibration.
Lower cost helicopters such as the R22 have very little room for equipment.
It is clear that both Rotary and Fixed wing aircraft have their advantages and disadvantages and although small rotary aircraft can have comparable running costs they also have reduced cruised speed. Therefore it would take longer to get from site to site which is where economies of scale can be obtained. Therefore if the company has a planned route where there are many sites far apart a more economically cruising aircraft such as a Cessna 172 may be the best option. This type of planning is often the case where Oblique Aerial Photography is required for the commercial property market and large companies will have many sites far apart.
Survey Photography is often undertaken using fixed wing aircraft with a vertical camera. This is because most surveys are required along a fixed route such as a pipe line or a road network and require vertical photography through the bottom of the fuselage of the aircraft.
Event Aerial Photography often benefits from using a rotary aircraft as the ability to remain relatively stationary over the ground allows continuous coverage of one spot. This also allows the aircraft to land nearby in a temporary airfield to refuel before continuing coverage.
South African born Keith has lived in the south of England for most of his life. After graduating from University with a degree in Business Information Systems Management he decided to start Strawberrysoup; a website design company based in West Sussex and Dorset.
Keith successfully gained entry into the Southampton University Air Squadron and spent over 12 months training to fly. Since then he has continued to follow his interest in flying and has now began his own training in the form of a Private Pilot’s Licence.
Keith also spent 13 months working within the Image and Printing Group at Hewlett Packard in Bracknell. Throughout his time there, he was responsible for many activities including events organisation and website design and maintenance.