Truck Loggers Annual Convention at Vancouver BC
For the first time, Stinson Aerial Services Inc. purchased exhibit booth space on the trade show floor. Our intention was to showcase some of the developments in Forestry and Fibre Utilization as well as promote the newest addition to our fleet — Cixwatin (Eagle). We had tremendous interest throughout the conference and are excited at some of the possibilities that will come from our conversations.
Cixwatin is a heavy lift drone capable of up to 70lbs of payload. We are working with TMAR Industries out of Campbell River to complete the next steps in development. Doug Slady, a longtime Coastal Family logger from the Sunshine Coast, originally envisioned the aircraft to carry straw line for Grapple Yarder setup/takedown and for a visual aid in replacement of the Grapple Cam. When we began looking into this aircraft in late 2022, as the next step in our vision, we were fortunate to connect with TMAR and Mr. Slady to dust this aircraft off and get it flying stuff!
Workflow development is underway and we expect to begin Trials in the Spring and throughout 2023. Pilot projects will initially prove aircraft capability and endurance while our Pilots become familiar and train with the drone. Initially we will be investigating Straw-line stringing, Tree cache placement on cutblocks / rehabilitation areas along with aerial seeding / ERP concepts related to fireguard rehabilitation with our partners at the Lower Nicola Indian Band in Merritt, BC. IN the end off we can improve the ergonomic conditions for the workers, whether that be strains from carrying steel line in cutblocks over slash or reducing the occurrence of Slips, Trips and Falls in days to day activities…We are moving in the right direction with drone technology.