King company leaders in commercial UVAs

Written By MARK PAVILONS

In a world of seemingly infinite possibilities, you still need the right tool for the right job. And that bottom-line business mentality is where a Schomberg company separates the wheat from the chaff.

A little more than a decade ago, Infinite Jib was one of the industry trendsetter, one of only four drone manufacturers in North America. They set the standard for today's major players. It offers a tailor-made solution that provides customers with financial rewards.

Jeff Jackson and his wife Deborah St. Clair are at the controls of Infinite Jib, which has established itself as a world leader in remotely controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). They design and manufacture these cutting-edge flying robots that serve a multitude of purposes. Put simply, they give cameras wings, sensors and thermal imaging, offering the perfect tool for many industrial, commercial, agricultural and mining applications.

Infinite Jib drones have found their perfect role in mining operations.

Mineral properties are often in remote areas where maps are either non-existent or of poor resolution. In early stage exploration it is beneficial to have a quick overview of the prospect area. In the past a conventional aerial photography company would have acquired this, however, it was expensive and as a result aerial mapping surveys would often not be conducted until later stages of exploration.

“Today our UAVs are used to complete this work in less time and provide higher data quality. You can map an area in high resolution in less than a day, usually a couple of hours. The Surveyor 630 DSLR cameras have the advantage of producing unparalleled image resolution to that of a conventional aerial survey,” Jackson said.

There has been a proliferation of drones and their applications in recent years. Like any technologically advanced product, drones have to continue to evolve and be on the cutting edge. They have to deliver.

A firm like Infinite Jib is not some fly-by-night backyard drone flyer looking for a quick buck. They are established, proven professionals, with many world firsts under their belts. They know exactly how to outfit a customer with exactly what they need to do the job well.

Infinite Jib's custom, high-end remote sensing UAVs are second to none. They have a track record to prove it.

“When faced with a unique, specific requirement, our highly trained technicians not only to help determine the feasibility but develop a design strategy for the custom build.”

Jackson said they maintain competitive by being innovative and providing custom-built machines for unique and very specific applications. They provide the whole package – custom drone, imaging system, hardware and training.

Technology has gotten to the point where anyone can buy a cheap drone at a local chain store and start flying. But Infinite Jib does not make toys, they make sophisticated workhorses, ready to tackle any job, in any part of the world, under any circumstances.

Infinite Jib is a low-volume, high-quality company that gives customers a useful tool that improves their bottom line.

Jackson pointed out that yes, drones can pretty much do anything you want them to. One customer in India wanted one to deliver a tub of ice cream a few kilometres away. While the gizmo can do just that, the applications have to be practical and cost effective.

“It is our mandate to develop the means whereby new technologies can be retrofitted onto existing Infinite Jib aircraft systems to add more value and sustainability to your investment.”

There's been a lot of interest in using drones to monitor plants and crops, which would benefit the agricultural industry. However, scanning crops for a farmer, while amazing in its detail, may not be affordable. Farmers work on extremely tight margins.

There's also a lot of buzz around drone delivery services by giants like Amazon. Jackson said we're still a decade away from safe, trouble-free drone delivery. There are many issues yet to be overcome by technology, such as pedestrian safety, neighbourhood obstacles and legal issues.

Where others dream, Infinite Jib delivers. The firm mainly serves engineering and survey companies who need extremely accurate data to map and create 3-D models of the landscape. Engineering firms, construction companies, mining operations require such laser-accurate data.

In fact, one system, known as lidar, illuminates the target with pulsed laser light and measures the reflected pulses with a sensor. Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make digital 3-D representations of the target.

Drones can also be equipped with thermal imaging equipment, high-resolution digital cameras and multi-spectral imaging sensors. Why would you need such James Bond gadgetry?

National Defence Canada wanted to know just where unexploded ordinance was buried at an abandoned test range.

A drone equipped with a magnetometer can detail deposits in the ground. One fitted to the company's Surveyor 630 helped pinpoint a sapphire deposit in Montana.

Another was used to create a detailed rendering of a crack in an airport runway, all from 100 metres in the sky.

The drones Jackson creates today are “flying computers,” complete Windows PCs that can communicate with anyone around the globe. Imagine a drone surveying a far northern landscape, with engineers from around the world logging in and monitoring the flight.

What about sending a drone in to survey the weak spots of a dam facility? Such was the case in 2017 when Infinite Jib's drone was used in California to gather accurate data during the Oroville Dam failure.

All of Infinite Jib's models boast high quality design, power, size and superior wind resistance.

The company's Orion model is the only one in the world that can capture infrared in the air and send a live digital feed to the ground. It can not only find a needle in the proverbial haystack, but read its temperature!

Customers not only receive the UAVs and software systems, but extensive training and followup service.

UAVs are an efficient cost alternative to fixed wing aircraft and full-sized helicopters for all aerial support applications. Designed for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Infinite Jib's systems are considered the finest, most advanced multi-rotor airframe technology currently available. The high quality materials engineered with anti-vibration properties, matched with premium components and flight control systems combine to provide an industrial strength platform that allows your camera to capture the smooth video footage and clear images desired in aerial imaging and videography.

Their flight solutions are ready to fly and contain everything need to complete a successful operation. Each system is packed in a custom built aluminum flight case for safe and effective transportation and storage.

For more on Infinite Jib, visit http://infinitejib.com or call 905-859-8857.