British Columbia-based Yellowhead Helicopters has selected TracPlus for their Next-Generation helicopter tracking, and common operating picture requirements. TracPlus’ comprehensive solution will improve Yellowhead’s aircraft safety by providing up to an 8x increase in real-time position reporting as well as making data and insights more accessible throughout the operation.
The next-gen solution, powered by the new cloud-based common operating platform TracPlus Cloud and coupled with the new LTE RockAIR device to provide dual Iridium satellite and global cellular capability, enables Yellowhead Helicopters to more accurately ensure their people and assets are safe whether they are in an aircraft, vehicle, or on foot, no matter how remote their mission.
Yellowhead’s Director of Operations Sean Rickards says TracPlus was chosen because of the advanced features of the new common operating platform and simple approach to increasing operational safety.
“Being responsible for up to forty aircraft operating in some of the most remote locations in Canada means that we need accurate and reliable access to what our people and aircraft are doing, no matter where they are.
We’ve had a satellite tracking system installed fleet-wide since 2016 but the addition of the cellular connectivity of the RockAIR, the more accessible flight data that TracPlus Cloud delivers, the additional features in the satellite text messaging, deep integration with fire products and fire agencies, and being able to integrate not just our aircraft, but also our ground vehicles and people on one screen and one system will provide a huge boost to our operational safety.
These new features combined with the ease of install, responsive support we’ve received from the TracPlus team, and deeper insight and analysis into the data of how our organization is performing made the upgrade to TracPlus an obvious next step for Yellowhead Helicopters,” says Sean.
TracPlus Cloud builds on the past 14 years of development by TracPlus for leading aviation operators, militaries, and government agencies around the world to deliver a powerful yet simple common operating platform that enables operators of any size to keep their people safe. In addition to aviation assets, TracPlus Cloud enables operators to track and manage virtually any type of asset in virtually any environment. From snowmobiles in Antarctica, to firefighters in Australia, to marine rescues with the Coastguard in New Zealand, TracPlus delivers an operation ‘single view of the truth’ for teams of any size.
About TracPlus
As the trusted provider of the mission-critical real-time GPS tracking and communications platform of first responders, government agencies, militaries, and other critical operators around the world, TracPlus has been present at virtually every major disaster response globally in the past five years.
We tie multiple data streams and asset types into a single view of the truth for mission-critical operations and deliver situational awareness to operators, irrespective of who owns the asset, what the asset is, who provides the tracking, or what the platform or signal type is — be it radio, cellular or satellite.
Our powerful, cloud-based platform allows organisations to track, manage, monitor, and message their personnel and resources, including land, maritime, and aviation assets, to keep crews safe, conserve resources, and maximize coordinated efforts.
Company History
TracPlus has its roots in search and rescue after a boating triple-fatality in 2003 off the coast of New Zealand's South Island. The vessel had a traditional 121MHz-style rescue beacon which provided a basic locational signal but due to the requirement of multiple satellite passes to pinpoint the rescue location it meant that four possible locations for the party were identified on different sides of the country. It wasn't until almost three hours after the initial incident occurred that the rescue team were able to find the vessel by which time three of the six occupants had succumbed to the treacherous conditions. Following this incident, the pilot of the rescue helicopter and a local technology enthusiast got together to come up with a better way to find people in distress; by actively tracking them all the time, not just when they need help. In late 2005, a small satellite-based tracking terminal was fitted to a helicopter and 18-months later, TracPlus was born. Since then we've earned the trust of over 1000 customers in 46 countries, operating 8,500,000 operational hours and have been onboard at most of the world's largest emergency responses.
