No. 274: Use a helicopter and an artificial satellite to monitor an afflicted area (May 7, 2011)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will translate the system to monitor an afflicted area using a helicopter and a satellite into practical applications within the year. The helicopter transmits images of an afflicted area to a distant place via the artificial satellite. Even if the helicopter changes the position to take a photo, the system allows it to stay at the direction to the satellite and send images through the interval between blades of the rotary wing by breaking up an image. At present, images are sent from the helicopter to the relaying station on the ground, but they can reach only for a radius of several tens of kilometers from the relaying station. The new system makes it possible to get data in a distant place even in a big disaster that destroys the base station or in a disaster in the mountain area. Named Heli-Sat, the new system was developed by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. Fire and Disaster Management Agency introduce the system to three helicopters within the year. The ministry will enforce the ministerial ordinance that specifies the standards of equipment necessary for practical application by the end of the month.