|
There are some companies which can make one feel proud to be South African. Visual Air Productions,
owned by Stephen Verheul, is doing things that no one else worldwide has found possible.
The company's service can be summoned up in one short sentence: "Radio controlled helicopter aerial filming and
photography." Behind this simple statement lies a wealth of research, knowledge, and technology.
Stephen Verheul decided about five years ago that there was a need for this type of
service in South Africa. Being the sort of person who firmly believes in doing things perfectly, he embarked on
a world tour to examine the way this was being done by other more experienced companies overseas.
He travelled to the UK and the Continent, and to quote Stephen, "the USA wasn't worth the trip". He
found, to his dismay, that none of the offered services quite lived up to their promises. Despite the technology
available in these countries, he could not find a helicopter of suitable design or power to successfully lift itself,
let alone carry a camera, at altitudes of 5 500 feet or more. Also, the ground to air camera control was found to
be barely adequate and helicopter safety appeared to be of secondary importance.
One of the helicopters hovering behind a Mirage and filming it.
So began a five-year quest for perfection, beginning with the installation of a full engineering and electronics
shop, complete with CNC milling machines, lathes, CAD software and facilities for manufacturing his own
surface mount circuit boards. Helicopter design began with the basics, and the more he delved, the more
wanting the available designs were found to be. Bearing in mind that at Johannesburg's altitude, a normal engine is
down approximately 20% on power, combined with the loss of lift in the thinner air, gives you some idea of the problems.
|
