The drone camera. Photos by Allison Rudd.
Invercargill project manager Nathan Klein has found an
innovative way to keep an eye on the job.
Using the latest technology remote-controlled drone camera,
he has been taking aerial video and photographs of the Bupa
Care New Zealand rest-home taking shape below.
The French-made Parrot AR. Drone 2.0, which only came on the
market last year, looks like a mini-spaceship and is powered
by a small electric motor.
Mr Klein controls it by touching joystick icons on his
smartphone screen.
The images are saved to his phone, and he can also download
the video on to his laptop and create still images.
The drone can fly up to 50m above the ground, although Mr
Klein said its lightweight construction meant it was easily
buffeted by winds and worked best on very calm days.
He bought it in October ''for a bit of a laugh'' but said he
had found the camera useful.
Nathan Klein demonstrates the camera, which he controls
using his smartphone.
''I put the photographs in my reports to my bosses. The
quality isn't too bad as long as you don't need them too big.''
Mr Klein and his colleague Rae Rennie, of Armitage Williams
Project Management, are jointly managing the rest-home
project in Racecourse Rd, Invercargill.
A 60-bed facility is being constructed which will house a mix
of rest-home, hospital and dementia patients.
Work is also continuing on the retirement village next door,
where the second phase of 20 villas and a community centre
have just been started.
They are expected to be completed by May or June.
allison.rudd@alliedpress.co.nz
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