RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, Canada—May
24, 2012: PCI Geomatics, a world-leading developer of geoimaging
software and systems, announced today that it will be jointly offering fire mapping
services in Northern Ontario with Discovery Air Fire Services Inc. (DAFS) during
the upcoming 2012 forest fire season.
DAFS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery
Air, has been active for over 60 years, supplying airborne fire management
services to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and other authorities
responsible for firefighting in Canada. With the increasing complexity and
frequency of forest fires in recent years, DAFS has added a new High Level
Infrared (HLIR) sensor to its fixed wing fleet, to provide intelligence to
wildfire Incident Commanders, Fire Managers, and Fire Duty Officers on a daily
basis. The HLIR system consists of a Firemapper camera and operations console,
which is used by DAFS to collect thermal and visual imagery during response operations.
One of the key challenges with the imagery
collected by the DAFS Firemapper system is rapid and accurate processing of
imagery that is collected, in order to prepare mission-critical maps in near real-time.
This is especially helpful to understand the effectiveness of firefighting
efforts and adjust plans on a daily basis. DAFS, together with PCI Geomatics,
will implement an operational system to derive accurate, up-to-date maps based
on imagery collected using the Firemapper system. Leveraging PCI’s rigorous
technology to process the individual images collected by the camera, DAFS will
prepare GIS-ready maps for operational briefings, providing the most up-to-date,
accurate fire status information.
The enhanced end-to-end workflow will greatly
enhance the situational awareness capability of the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources, through the provision of accurate, map-based fire information that
will be collected and delivered within hours of capture. The services will be
offered through DAFS’ Northern Ontario operations, which is capable of
responding to emergencies across Ontario’s forest fire danger areas.
About PCI Geomatics
PCI
Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems to process
aerial and satellite imagery. The company provides integrated Esri imagery
workflows, standalone image processing capability, and large volume processing
throughput, giving customers the ability to produce high-quality image products
and derived information for any project. Find out more at www.pcigeomatics.com.
About
Discovery Air Fire Services Inc. (DAFS)
DAFS is a Northern Ontario-based Aerial Operations
Company which has been active in the Canadian Aviation industry for over 60
years. DAFS is a premier provider of special-mission aircraft. DAFS has established Aircraft and Flight
Operations bases with Airframe, Line, and Component maintenance bases at
Dryden, Kenora, and Sudbury Ontario. Additionally, the company supports
Satellite Flight Operations base at Geraldton and Chapleau. With over 140
aircraft, it is one of the largest air operators in Canada, employing more than
850 flight crew, maintainers, and support staff to deliver a variety of air
transport, maintenance, and logistics solutions to its government, airline and
business customers.
About
Discovery Air Inc.
Discovery Air Inc. is a Canadian specialty aviation
company, operating over 150 aircraft with approximately 850 team members. Its
subsidiaries provide airborne training to the Canadian military; air ambulance
services; airborne fire services; helicopter operations; fixed-wing air charter
services; expediting and logistics support; and a range of maintenance, repair,
overhaul, modification, engineering and certification services.
Discovery Air Inc.’s Class A common voting shares and
unsecured debentures trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbols DA.A and
DA.DB.A, respectively).
Press
Contact
Kevin R. Jones
Director, Marketing and Product Management
T: 819-770-0022 x 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com
Director, Marketing and Product Management
T: 819-770-0022 x 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com
Twitter: @pcigeomatics
