Eye in the Sky heads to Taiwan

SYDNEY company TC Communications has turned "Eye in the Sky" technology developed for the Australian Coastwatch service into an export earner, signing a deal with the Taiwanese government to fit the system to firefighting helicopters.

Like the Coastwatch system, the version supplied to the Taiwanese fire department transmits video live from the aircraft to a command centre, where it can be displayed on a huge 8m x 2m video screen. The Inmarsat Satellite network is used for transmission.

TC Communications chief executive Todd McDonell said the system supplied to Taiwan is the first of its kind to be deployed in the world. The project had particular challenges, he said, including the vibration of the helicopter and the use of Chinese language Windows in Taiwanese systems.

The system has been fitted to one Boeing twin rotor helicopter as a proof of concept, with two more due to be fitted if successful. If all three helicopters are fitted with the system, project value could exceed $2 million, Mr McDonell said.

The system supplied to Coastwatch has generated a lot of overseas interest, Mr McDonell said, including inquiries from Europe and the US government.