A revolutionary new design approach for SpaceCam’s helicopter nose mount application has received STC approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for use in the United States and STC approval from Transport Canada for use in Canada. The R.A.M.S., a “roll augmented mounting system,” provides for the first time, complete maneuvering freedom for the camera helicopter. Through the use of an advanced sensor and a proprietary design approach, SpaceCam’s R.A.M.S. system offers a number of advantages over any hard mount nose systems.
· Creativity - Enables much more aggressive flying for filming, which translates to more dynamic material, with full 360 degree continuous pan and +40, -90 degree tilt while the helicopter rolls +/-120 degrees.
· Versatility – Ensures that the camera enclosure always remains vertical and unaffected by the helicopter angle, even when the camera is pointed 90 degrees down and the helicopter is maneuvering aggressively.
· Safety – Enhances all safety aspects of flight in that no roll limits exist for the film pilot and he may react without the subconscious flight constraints associated with old fixed mounts.
· Cost Savings – Camera resets between “takes” may be done much more quickly with resultant production benefits both financially and creatively.
SpaceCam designed and developed the first fixed hard nose mounts back in 1993 and has offered that option ever since. Other gyro systems have been restricted to the side mount position until just recently. However the resulting nose mount replicas that other companies are introducing fall far short of SpaceCam’s original design as reported by the industry’s top film pilots. While the competition is just now trying to catch up with the nose mount option,
SpaceCam is once again moving forward with the R.A.M.S. which takes aerial cinematography to an even higher level.