Have you ever rented a helicopter or a small, low-flying plane for an afternoon out? Ever taken a tourist ride on a plane? While few of us may be professional pilots, anyone can rent a helicopter or small plane and have a pilot take them up for a sightseeing tour, or an afternoon out. This is especially popular in major cities and scenic areas.
But how do these rented helicopters and planes stay safe in the air, and how do the owners keep track of them? Helicopter tracking, plane tracking, and rental plane tracking can all be done via GPS, satellites, and radio communication. Let’s see how the owners of these aircraft help them stay safe and locate them in an emergency.
GPS tracking is the easiest way to keep track of a helicopter or a plane. This is especially true with smaller, lower-flying machines not tracked by commercial airlines or traffic control. GPS uses satellites and onboard equipment to track the location of aircraft with pinpoint precision. This method of tracking works especially well in remote areas where radio and cell signals may not reach very far.
Satellites, however, are always overhead, and always able to beam down a signal, and communicate with your equipment, even in the toughest, remotest terrain. This is especially useful in emergency situations, where a helicopter or small plane may be in need of rescue. Surviving a technical malfunction in the mountains becomes much more likely if you have GPS technology on board. You can be easily tracked, and emergency responders can see exactly where you are. Technicians at the home base can also be alert to noticing changes in flight plans, altitude, or delays in flights, which can alert them to possible problems.
Cell phone communication is another way to stay on top of a small plane and helicopter communication. In areas where cell signals are strong and reliable, this is a great, simple way to communicate back and forth. Radio communication has also been used by rental planes and helicopters for years, as a simple and immediate way to communicate. Faster than dialing a number on a phone, the radio has been used since the earliest days of aviation. In an emergency, pilots can radio their location, and describe the situation in detail.
However ubiquitous and widespread cell phone towers may be, there will still be places where a cell tower can’t reach. In other kinds of emergencies, cell towers may be temporarily down. Radio communication is fast and efficient, but a radio signal in and of itself can’t tell base where a plane or helicopter is located. GPS is best for this. The owners of the planes and helicopters use a paid service to be able to get this GPS connectivity, which will then allow their machines to be traceable via satellite. This information will then be communicated to their home base computer systems or can be tracked by an app on a smartphone. Satellites can also be used for verbal communication, via SAT phones.
Like a cell signal, satellites can be used to send and receive spoken messages, and SAT phones are especially popular for travelers, military personnel on the field, and those living and working in remote regions. More reliable and global than cell towers, satellite phone communication can be a lifesaver in remote or poorly connected areas. Some tech companies have begun experimenting with commercially available SAT phones for the public. In the world of rental helicopters and planes, this technology can save lives, too.