In the spirit of the holidays, we’ve been working into the night, photographing homes that have been fantastically decorated for Christmas. It wasn’t easy, but the results are beautiful, and make all those moments spent dodging cacti, completely worth it.
Besides Christmas projects, we’ve been working hard on other thrilling gigs, like the Gilbert Regional Park grand opening, upkeep work with the McCarthy team, and even a gold reclamation project. That’s right, gold!
We’ve selected some great footage of our achievements to share with you, and hopefully, you too can see the ways we use drones to have a positive impact on the environment.
There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills
And we can help you find it… with our drones, of course. For gold reclamation purposes, we fly our drones over old mining sites. Our sophisticated data collection methods enable us to identify tailings piles, as well as calculate the material quantities of abandoned mines. Not only does this allow the gold to be extruded at a high percentage, but more importantly, this method avoids human contact with dangerous, life-threatening, chemicals like arsenic, which are commonly used in the gold extraction process. Our current technology prevents harmful chemicals from leaching into our groundwater. This helps to regrow vegetation, and it’s better for the desert and the wildlife that inhabits it. #dronesdogood
You're never too old to fly a drone - 71-year-old gets trained
At 71 years of age, Mark Koppenhoffer learned how to fly a drone. We had a great time helping him gain this new skill, and we hope that he will encourage others to jump in the bandwagon.
If you’re interested in learning how to fly, check out our website!
Bret Michaels’ House
In our last newsletter, we hinted to the work we did on a celebrity’s house. We can finally let you know that it was Bret Michael’s house. From our experience, we know that there are houses, and then there are houses that Bret Michael lived in. Check out this luxurious, one-of-a-kind, private retreat in North Scottsdale via the clip that we created for him. It is available for viewing with Bob and Myrbna Nathanson, of Engel and Volkers.
What Really Goes Into a Solar Installation?
You are all aware at this point that we do a lot of thermal inspections, for both residential and commercial projects. But do you know what the work really entails? In short, we start by scanning the roof of the project at hand. The scan creates a CAD file, which is passed on to the engineers. Using the data gathered by our drones, the engineers can plan with precision. They know how many panels to install, how many watts, and how much of a load the building can handle. With this detailed documentation, here is no need for guessing, or fancy sale deals. Based on the number of panels that can be fit onto the roof, homeowners can see the true savings that are expected to be gained.
As for the future? We fly the thermal drone after installation to make sure everything is working in order, and in spec. This stage creates a record for warranty purposes.
Sometimes we are contacted by homeowners or companies inquiring about a performance drop in their panels, so we are kept quite busy with thermal drones. Callbacks are fun for us, and it gives us a chance to create new marketing videos about the standard of care needed for each particular roof.
So thermal keeps us busy. Plus we get to have fun and make marketing videos showing what the installer does and the standard of care they take.
In the Holiday Spirit, Check Out Our Night Flying Christmas Special!
Maybe you haven’t really thought about it, but trust us, night flying is a big deal. It requires a lot of skill, data, and bureaucracy. Once you’ve tackled the smooth flying skill, you need the suave to get intimate with the cactus and trees. But as skilled as you may be, without the correct FAA approval, you aren’t legally allowed to night fly.
We hate to boast, but we can’t help but be proud of our work. Twice a night, for 30 nights straight, we captured stable images of decorated houses, with perfect - and festive! - lighting. Night flights are the most challenging drone flying one can do, from both a photographic and cinematographic standpoint. We matched speed and luminosity while dodging objects.
We’d love to know what you think, so check out our footage, and let us know. Click the link below, then click on “Night Flights and Xmas” to see our footage of Christmas lights.
Gilbert Regional Park Grand Opening With Social Distancing
In honor of their grand opening, we were asked to film a day-to-night of the new Gilbert Regional Park, all thanks to our client Haydon Building Corp. Not only did we capture this amazing facility, but the fireworks that the city of Gilbert put on were quite the spectacle. Check out the video on their website, it’s a sight to be seen!
4 Days, 2700 Acres
We recently completed a large solar installation project, and the excitement hasn’t worn off just yet. We surveyed 2700 acres out of a 7500-acre project in California. We used our fixed-wing drone for 4 days of onsite flying. From desert tortoises to snub-nosed leopard lizards, to burrowing owls, we dodged (and admired) the ferocious wildlife. With the incredible TOPO that we created for our clients, they are now able to plan egress, prove disturbances, and eventually, verify - down to the cubic yards - which areas have been reclaimed and returned to nature. I love my job.
Project ASU ISTB-7 Is Coming Along
Many of you already know about the McCarthy project. We are proud to be the ones chosen to survey it every two weeks. This ongoing drone work showcases the progression, and what an incredible technological marvel this facility will become. Though this site is a challenge to fly, we are astonished by everything from the unique materials used in the construction, to the energy-efficient outer skin, engineered and coordinated by the McCarthy team.
Testing and Development of Different Platforms
Don’t forget to check out our exciting updates next month. We’ll have footage of concrete tables being placed, footage of us flying over a 20-story building, the Hayden Railroad park nighttime Christmas extravaganza, a 22-mile road expansion in Texas, and a new hotel going up in Vegas near Mccarran Airport. We’ll also show you the tethered drones for Covid security and live broadcasting, and a car chase scene for an upcoming movie that was filmed in downtown Phoenix. We might also have some updates about your project, when you hire us for your next drone project.
Cheers,
Mark and the EAP Team
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