Recent News

This past fall, we had a true Arctic adventure. As a follow up to a combined photo and LiDAR survey of 14 villages in Nunavik, Quebec, we conducted a geodetic survey to verify our airborne data. As there are very limited commercially scheduled flights between these villages, we had to use our own aircraft to transport the crew from place to place. We then contacted the local authorities for access and logistical support – and as quickly as possible – collect the data for a network of survey points. On our prototype mission in Kuujjuarapik, we took 2 days to complete one survey. During this trip we managed to execute up to 2 surveys in one day including travelling from location to location.
As you can plainly see, the scenery was as bleak as it was awesomely beautiful. Here, north of the tree line with the first snows of winter, the raw and rugged landscape truly shows the brute origins of our planet. Ice scarred slopes of frozen lava giving witness to the most primordial of forces which have shaped this planet.
However, as you can also see from the one shot of Salluit, the tendency of village builders to show the world who they are is not restricted to Hollywood. Even the young lad in the picture can be seen in a previous blog post in front of that famous billboard, showing one more time how a career at Airborne leads to some of the most varied travel experiences imaginable.

Airborne Sensing was recently featured in Wings Magazine. Read the complete article here.

We love it when we have just delivered a successful project to a client. In this case, we conducted a project in the Caribbean for a large resource concern. Specifically, we provided aerial imagery; a control survey, and digital surface models so they can easily plan future infrastructure such as roads and buildings.
We love a challenge and projects like this give us great satisfaction because of the degree of difficulty and the multiplicity of challenges needed to ensure a successful outcome. In this case, negotiations took over 2 years; project definitions changed; we needed to get flight permits for the country in question and organize all phases of field work including surveying control points with the aid of local staff. Flying was also a challenge in that we could only deliver on clear sunny days and these are few and far between in tropical areas, so waiting is a big part of the game.
Finally on the photogrammetric side, determining the most likely “bare earth” surface when the terrain was heavily vegetated proved to be a significant challenge while ensuring client expectations for both budget and content were met. In the end – as the picture shows –this client was very happy with the result.

It’s finally happened: The Airborne Sensing Corporation has arrived in la belle province of Quebec, fulfilling a dream long cherished by Alexander Giannelia. Our new office – a subsidiary of our Toronto base – is located at Jean-Lesage International Airport. More precisely, we can be found at 611 Avenue 6 de l’Aéroport, Québec, QC, G2G 2T4.Great.

As always, we will provide the same rigour and determination– the foundation of ASC’s reputation – as we help you with on your aerial acquisition projects that you have come to expect from Airborne Sensing. In Quebec and beyond, we are here to ensure that all of your projects are completed on time and on budget.

Give us a call, we look forward to serving you.

The annual event of the Champlain section of the Canadian institute of Geomatics (CIG) was held Thursday, March 12 at the Ice Hotel in Quebec. This has been a tradition for the past 10 years for the Champlain section of the CIG, and provides an excellent occasion for geomatics professionals to meet one another and discuss the state of the industry.

The evening began with a tour of the location, with a technical explanation of the design of the Hotel and all of the ice accessories. The interior spaces have an ambient temperature of -5 degrees Celsius, regardless of the outside temperature.

Following the tour, the President of the Champlain section, Annick Jalon, presented a retrospective of 2014 and the 2014 GeoCongress. During her presentation, she thanked all partners and participants of the GeoCongress. Subsequently, a cocktail was served in an ice glass, and soups and sandwiches were served to all guests.

The Soirée Champlain provided a perfect opportunity to meet people in the Geomatics industry and to promote the imminent establishment of the Airborne Sensing Corporation’s new office in the city of Quebec. Michel Dionne

At the end of February every year, the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors gathers for their Annual General Meeting. This year, Alex and Robin went up to Huntsville, ON to rub shoulders with the top brass of the AOLS, and, of course, to refresh friendships in the industry. Conferences like this are an ideal opportunity to explore what is happening in the field, to catch up with colleagues and make new friends, and determine how to position Airborne Sensing for the future.

The AOLS is an association with a long history using classical techniques of land surveying. As such, it was great to hear about the great interest in new technologies. Robin was pleased to note the shift toward more innovative techniques in land surveying, as well as opening up to diverse perspectives in the field.

As the new president of the Canadian Institute for Geomatics, Alex led a group discussion of the future goals for Canadian professionals in the surveying business. This was an exciting nexus of new and seasoned professionals eager to work together to promote geomatics in Canada and beyond. As a country once bemoaned for having “too much geography and not enough history”, the mapping industry in this proud nation continues to march forward.

While we missed them here in Toronto, we got to see some pictures of the gorgeous scenery in Huntsville!

At 6:00 AM on August 12, 2014, a team of surgeons, doctors and medical practitioners converged at the Peter Munk Centre for Cardiology at Toronto General hospital to perform a complex open heart procedure which, seven hours later, resulted in me waking up with a new aortic valve to replace one which had been defective since birth. In addition, the surgeons repaired 8 cm of my aorta, and provided some electrical modification to my heart tissue to restore a regular pulse.

The surgery, which I still maintain is nothing short of a miracle, had been executed carefully by a team of consummate professionals for whom such work is routine. Ten weeks later, I was able to drive a car, engage in a full physiotherapy rehabilitation programme, and even resume occasional flight duties.

During my absence from the office, the team at ASC were also able to organize themselves as professionally as my surgeons and care workers at the hospital. Our busy summer flying season—one of the busiest in our company’s history—was able to continue without my direct intervention, as a result of incredible teamwork coming together in task sharing and precise operations.

From August to October, our aircrew flew and completed projects in far flung cities across North America: Victoria, BC; Baltimore, MD; Minneapolis, MN; Quebec City, QC; New York, NY and Deer Lake, NL—just to name a few! Within this continental operation, we took about 150,000 images without any reflights, and processed their associated positions and orientations all within a few weeks of completing each area. Flight projects were planned and executed and image products were delivered as routinely as we have always striven to provide.

Does this mean that I am now unemployed as a result of our team’s brilliant work? Well, I certainly hope not, as this remains one of the most exciting ways to make a living. I am proud to be setting new goals for our team as we move forward into the new year ahead.

Inasmuch as I am deeply and eternally indebted to the PMC team lead by Dr. Chris Feindel (click here to see what the operation looks like), Ms. Kelly McNabb and Ms. Veola Caruso for restoring my physical vitality, I am equally in debt to the team led by my wife and company Comptroller Elisabeth Giannelia, along with our Image Production Manager Peter Cimbron, Geomatics Manager Robin Poot, and Chief Pilot Jonathan Francoeur, for maintaining Airborne Sensing’s reputation for taking on and completing tough jobs against tight deadlines.

One of our camera operators at Airborne Sensing, Patrick O’Dea, was hired in 2012. A native of Ireland, Patrick’s technical skills have proven invaluable for our operations — he frequently puts on his apprentice mechanic’s hat to conduct repairs and modifications to equipment. He is an enthusiastic crew member and we are very pleased to have him on board.

A few weeks ago, Patrick sent an email to the office, describing a unique opportunity he had to see one of New York City’s landmarks:

“Hi Guys,

We were instructed by ATC to descend to 1,500’ and make a 360° over Central Park on our ferry back from the NY job yesterday.

Didn’t have the GoPro but did get some footage on my digital cam.

[…]

Epic stuff!

Next time I’ll bring bread for the ducks…”

The video footage from his digital camera is here for you to see some of the excitement that goes on behind the scenes at Airborne Sensing.

For the last 33 years, we have always sought to offer our clients the most cost effective aerial survey products and services especially in the area of imaging technology. So, we were the first in Ontario to offer in-house colour printing, one of the first in Canada to offer kinematic GPS and IMU and the first in Canada to purchase a VEXCEL digital frame camera. We are expanding once again and this time into the area of airborne LiDAR with the acquisition of an OPTECH GEMINI system.

As one of the only companies in Canada who can offer simultaneous high density LiDAR and large format digital imagery, we are pleased to announce this new capability and expect to be fully operational by the end of July.

In December of 2012, we conducted a test of simultaneous high resolution digital imagery and low level LiDAR. We are well positioned to offer our clients the most appropriate survey tool for their projects. Furthermore, we are one of the few companies offering LiDAR using our own fleet of five aircraft. This capacity will minimize delays encountered when a LiDAR provider needs to coordinate with a platform provider. We can therefore maintain our standard quick response service on a coast-to-coast basis anywhere in North America.

So, after over 33 years of showing you the iridescent beauty of the earth’s surface, we are now getting a bit deeper.

This Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was derived from Vexcel UCX imagery taken at 4.5 cm

This Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was derived from Riegl LiDAR data. For this test image, the LiDAR sensor was flown simultaneously with the above-mentioned Vexcel UCX.