The sky’s the limit

Cumbria-based company HiDef Aerial Surveying Ltd has developed super-high-definition video cameras that produce resolutions five times as clear as standard high definition (HD).

Imaging technology has reached the point where internet surfers can get a pretty good view of their back garden as it looks from space.

Established in 2007, the company spent two years focusing on perfecting its product and satisfying industry regulatory standards.

Out of all the lucrative industries that imaging power like this could attract, cleantech and conservation have won through. In 2009, HiDef Surveying won a contract with the British Crown Estates to literally over-see that offshore wind farms were meeting legislative standards with respect to their environmental footprint. From altitudes of thousands of feet, the company’s high-definition cameras, housed in light aircraft, are able to capture reviewable moving images of thousands of square miles in a matter of hours.

“We invested significant time and energy in creating imaging technology that has highly advanced capabilities,” says John Martin, Managing Director at HiDef Aerial Surveying Ltd. “Our cameras’ first applications were conducting environmental impact surveys from altitudes that meant there was no disturbance to the natural habitats of wildlife. We have developed a number of post-processing software applications, that allow us to identify the species and quantity of bird populations, and even submerged marine life, in and around proposed wind farm sites. The true strength of our approach is the unbiased results we deliver. For customers who need accurate surveys to be performed at regular intervals across vast areas, our service is invaluable.”

European exploration

Having established a solid UK foundation, HiDef Aerial Surveying began to look to expand overseas. Seeing other countries start to follow the UK’s example of investing in cleantech and renewable energy, the company saw an opportunity to replicate its efforts in Europe and beyond.

Over the years, HiDef Aerial Surveying had worked with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) through its sister companies. In 2010, the company commissioned several Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) reports as it expanded into the German, Belgian, Dutch and Danish markets. Although there is more to do in Europe, HiDef Surveying wanted to get to the US as soon as possible. The vast expanses of territory were ripe for the company’s services, and it knew that UKTI could help it to enter the North American market.