Latitude Introduces Real-time Retardant Drop Monitoring For US Forestry
July 21, 2008Latitude Technologies announced today that a test deployment of real-time, in-flight event tracking and mapping by Latitude’s LWS Sentinel data management system interfaced to a standard Latitude SkyNode® voice and data communications device has exceeded expectations – while delivering air tanker payload drop data that is proving to be of real value in the battle against the wildfires that continue to plague northern and central California.
In a repeat of its 2007 mission, a Martin Mars water bomber, with bird-dog aircraft and ground crew, was dispatched by its owner, Coulson Flying Tankers of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, in late June to join with the ground and air crews of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the US Forest Service who are working around the clock to contain the hundreds of fires that have blackened more than 800,000 acres of forest, range, watershed, and populated areas across the state.
The Martin Mars and the Cessna 206 Turbine bird-dog rely on Latitude’s SkyNode® S200-011 and LWS Sentinel to handle automatic flight-following (AFF) and real-time web-based tracking of current positioning and trailing flight path of both aircraft. The Martin Mars’ California mission provided a unique and mission-critical opportunity to test the LWS Sentinel event-tracking and mapping application developed by Latitude’s web services team.
Latitude worked closely with Coulson and the Martin Mars support team during initial deployment of the application which is now reporting and mapping in real-time the geo- positioning of the water bomb when it begins to deliver its payload over the fire zone and when it completes delivery. This vital information is being displayed at the US Forest Service fire- fighting command post giving the command post increased capability to precisely target payload drop zones, ensuring maximum payload effectiveness.
Commenting on this important data-tracking development, Mark Insley, Latitude President, said, “Painting the map where fire retardant has been dropped provides the folks at fire coordination centres with more information to help access mission effectiveness and thereby get more efficient use from their valuable air resources. This is another example of the sensor gathering and reporting capabilities of the entire range of SkyNode voice and data communications devices, and hopefully will help to advance the science of fire-fighting.”
About Latitude Technologies
Latitude Technologies Corporation, headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, is a leading global supplier of satellite telephone/tracking/messaging avionics. Our SkyNode® products are the smallest, lightest, most versatile, and most economical-to-operate aeronautical communication devices in the world. Latitude equipment communicates to both air and ground-based information systems, including our own LWS SentinelTM web-based mapping and data management platform. Customers trust Latitude to always deliver and maintain reliable communications solutions.
For more information on Latitude LWS Sentinel event tracking and mapping and the SkyNode® S200 family of voice and 2-way data communication devices, please contact:
Latitude Technologies Corporation
Tel: 888-966-5599, ext. 1
Email: info@latitudetech.com