Photo by Markus SpiskeOriginally Posted On: Maximum Elevation: 7 Uses for Telescopic Masts (theratt.com)
Advances in technology are quickly making our lives easier, more comfortable, and even safer. Law enforcement and first responders rely heavily on surveillance technology, like telescopic masts, to do their jobs of protecting and serving citizens.
In many situations, it’s an operational necessity to get equipment to a higher elevation to get the job done right. Telescopic masts are one of the few tools used for taking video equipment to a higher vantage point.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about telescoping towers is mobile video surveillance, but there are many other uses as well. Are you curious about the many uses of elevating equipment up to 50 feet in the air? Join us as we explore 7 uses of a telescoping mast that you may not be aware of.
Many Uses of Telescopic Masts
The Rapid All-Terrain Tower (RATT) is quickly becoming the preferred solution for law enforcement, firefighters, and the military. The RATT can go anywhere an off-road vehicle can and is deployed in a matter of minutes. The following are only a few of the ways The RATT is helping agencies do their jobs more efficiently.
1. Critical Incidents & Crowd Control
Peaceful protests are a proud part of our American democracy, but peaceful can turn into riots quickly. Law enforcement must stay vigilant and fully aware of the situation to prevent dangerous riots.
An eye in the sky is the best way to monitor a large demonstration with hundreds or thousands of protestors. If there is a disturbance, officers have a tactical advantage of being able to quickly locate the crowd and take action before things get out of control.
2. Special Event Surveillance
Providing security to large events can be tricky because of the vast amount of space that security forces need to cover. Utilizing surveillance technology such as a telescopic mast and camera reduces the number of security staff an event needs to cover the same area.
An entire outside event can be surveyed from a 360-degree surveillance camera on a telescoping mast strategically placed. The camera will be noticed by all, acting as a deterrent and giving the event a strong sense of security to participants.
3. Tactical Surveillance
Law enforcement is constantly investigating suspicious locations for illegal activity. It is not always possible to get the full picture from close up. A surveillance camera from a high vantage point gives officers a wide-angle view of the target area.
The high vantage point can also draw less attention in tactical operations. Mobility and distance are key to keeping surveillance unnoticed. Discretion makes all the difference when collecting video and audio evidence. With The RATT, surveillance can be set up quickly outside the perimeter of the target building or compound and easily moved as needed to avoid detection.
4. Firefighting & Search and Rescue
When the lives of firefighters and victims are at stake, complete situational awareness can make all the difference. Fire departments use telescopic masts to elevate a thermal camera to search for victims, determine hot spots, and identify where a fire is spreading. The tower can also be used as an elevated spotlight to illuminate an area during a night fire.
Thermal imaging cameras allow firefighters to see through the smoke, gain valuable intelligence about the fire, and determine how best to safely fight it. An elevated thermal camera is essential to fighting wildfires. With smoke and dark areas, firefighters are blind without thermal imaging and infrared camera surveillance.
Wildfires can change course quickly, making a firefighter one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. An elevated thermal camera gives real-time information about the fire’s changing direction. Heavy smoke can blind firefighters’ view, so a thermal camera from an elevated position makes search and rescue efforts more effective and helps keep track of firefighters in the field.
5. Radio Antenna
Communications in the field are not always easily secured. There are times when a mobile operation needs an RF/WiFi/Mobile antenna to keep communications on the ground open and secure.
Radio antennas should be elevated for maximum range and potentially to limit interference. Mounting a radio antenna on The RATT will solve the communications needs of the operation and can be elevated right alongside the camera.
6. Drone Antenna
There are considerable advantages to using a portable telescoping mast over a drone; however, a drone is ideal in the case of obstructions of view between buildings or dense vegetation. One of the weaknesses of drones is their limited range.
The range of a drone can be significantly expanded by elevating the drone’s antenna with a telescopic mast. Buildings and trees can also disrupt the signal to a drone causing the operator to lose control. A telescoping mast gives the drone a better line of sight for more stable control.
7. 3D Laser Scanning
If you are a land or building surveyor, then you are well aware of the latest and most powerful tool – the 3D laser scanner. This state-of-the-art device accurately measures buildings and the lay of the land for engineers and builders quickly and easily. It can be necessary to elevate the laser high enough to get the full scope of the project, and a telescoping tower is the perfect solution.
The RATT Advantage
There are many uses of telescopic masts, and they are clearly a must-have for all types of operations where equipment needs to be deployed to an elevated position. The RATT is a powerful and compact tool that is truly portable and takes one person just 5 minutes to set up.
The RATT goes anywhere your operation goes, elevating your equipment to the only vantage point that will do the job right – high in the sky. Don’t go out in the field without the best technology for your team. Contact us and we can discuss what The RATT can do for your next operation and for years to come.
