Helinet Aviation Formalizes Aerial Surveillance Services Business with Launch of Helinet Technologies Division

Evolving out of the firm’s longstanding work providing aerial surveillance systems and services to major law enforcement and government agencies including the Los Angeles Police Department and DEA, Helinet Technologies offers organizations across the globe customized solutions tailored to fulfill their mission requirements.

The division’s launch comes in response to an increasing demand in both the developed and developing worlds for robust aerial surveillance systems to perform critical elements of public safety and national defense.  Backed by decades of experience at the forefront of the aerial surveillance and network broadcasting industries, Helinet Technologies offers a flexible, customer driven approach with services ranging from basic equipment sales to fully outsourced surveillance solutions, including providing pilots and aircraft.  Selling all major equipment brands to ensure the best system match for each client, Helinet Technologies brings unmatched, real-world mission experience to each engagement with a focus on developing high functioning solutions that balance budgetary constraints with agency demands.
 
Most recently, Helinet provided the entire aerial surveillance capability for the 34-nation Summit of the Americas hosted by Trinidad and Tobago.  Beginning with the design of a nationwide network of broadcast receive sites, the firm worked with the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) to develop a comprehensive security system that delivered a continuous live feed from above the event to commanders on the ground.  The assignment also included staffing and managing the air crews, securing all necessary physical assets and delivering the live feed via secure microwave downlink to SAUTT’s command center where it could be immediately shared with the security services of the attending Member States of the Hemisphere. 
 
“With aerial surveillance technologies an increasingly vital component of modern law enforcement and public safety, police departments and government agencies are faced with something of a double edged sword when it comes to choosing the best solutions for their departments,” said J.T. Alpaugh, vice president, technical operations for Helinet Technologies.  “You have, on the plus side, an extremely broad selection of powerful tools to choose from in assembling an overall aerial surveillance capability.  The flipside is that with the number of complex options and technologies available, assembling and maintaining a robust solution has become increasingly difficult.  Our goal with Helinet Technologies is to help agencies build the best possible system for their needs backed by 24/7 service from experts who know the technology inside and out.”
 
With a strong understanding of the varying requirements of agencies across the law enforcement and government spectrum, Helinet Technologies is backed by an international reseller network that enables it to quickly create and deploy aerial surveillance packages to organizations across the globe.  Among the firm’s key mission experience is its work deploying advanced microwave downlink systems for government and broadcasters to enable live, ship-to-ground transmission of broadcast quality video over long distances.  Helinet was also one of the first firms to utilize long lens, high definition sensors to allow clients to track activities occurring miles away with a high level of detail and with minimal ambient light.
 
“Working with Helinet Technologies allowed us to create an aerial surveillance solution that delivered a high level of real-time, actionable data as well as satisfied the stringent security needs of our guest nations’ protection services,” said Paul Brown, assistant director, air operations for SAUTT.  “The thoroughness of the planning, the speed of deployment and the quality of the resulting surveillance solution were extremely impressive and helped us to ensure a safe event.”
 
“Through our close working relationships with agencies such as the LAPD and DEA as well as our experience providing live, downlink solutions for all of the major television networks, we have had the opportunity to develop aerial systems for all types of missions and coverage scenarios,” said Ron Magocsi, vice president, chief technical officer, for Helinet Technologies.  “In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, for instance, we were in the air over New Orleans two hours after the storm had passed, assisting the Coast Guard in recovery efforts and providing the live television images from above the city that were seen around the world.  In fact, for over a week, we were the only commercial operator to receive clearance from the FAA to fly in the affected airspace.”