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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 F E B R UA R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 F O C U S C O M M U N I C AT I O N S & T E C H N O L O G Y a drone pilot license to enhance the firm's video capabilities. e firm is using a four-propeller Phantom 3 manufactured by the Chinese firm DJI. Its features include GPS, stabilization and auto-hover technology, 25-minute fly time, bright LED lights that help the pilot confirm its direction, and a small but high-quality still and video camera. Anania can control the camera with an app on his phone. Fluent IMC created a recruit- ment video for Associated Builders & Contractors of Maine incorporating drone footage — adding a sweeping, dynamic element — at a commercial construction job site, alternating with traditional interview video. "We programmed the drone to be dead center to the building, then backed it up and did a circle around the building," says Anania. "Another shot is to get close to a building and have the drone back away." Drone footage evokes grandeur even in mundane elements, like a swoop- ing shot of rural roads in Fluent's rebranding video for telecommunica- tions provider Otelco. "Historically, aerial video was shot from a helicopter or maybe a crane, which was pretty expensive and took a long time to set up," says Grumbach. "is is faster and more economical. And it's a perspective we can't capture from the ground." Seeing the forest (and the trees) e Wheatland Lab at the University of Maine's School of Forest Resources in Orono is introducing drone technol- ogy to various industry professionals. "We've worked with Verso at their Androscoggin mill, using imagery recorded with our UAV to produce 3-dimensional models of chip and log stockpiles to quickly get estimates of volume, with little to no interruption of the mill's operation," says aerial survey pilot Dave Sandilands. at involved deploying a DJI Phantom 4 equipped with the vehicle's stock camera modified to record infrared wavelengths to track vegetative growth, then snapping photos in quick succession for image overlap. "at enabled us to use our image processing software to make three- dimensional models of the piles, and turn that into a quick volume estima- tion in a safe manner," Sandilands says. e footage obviated the subjective process of employees eyeballing the piles. "ey can't see the tops of the piles, which might be arranged in odd shapes or have hollow spots. Using the UAV, they see the entire picture." Another project had a forestry undergraduate working with the Seven Islands Land Co. on forest stand reconnaissance, to see if that work could be done more efficiently, Historically, aerial video was shot from a helicopter or maybe a crane, which was pretty expensive and took a long time to set up. This is faster and more economical. And it's a perspective we can't capture from the ground. — Marnie Grumbach Fluent IMC Powering Maine's commercial real estate market since 1975 One Canal Plaza | Portland, ME 04101 | 207.772.1333 | boulos.com Charles W. Day, Broker cday@boulos.com 207.838.3335 C | 207.553.1722 D Join Portland's most exciting mixed-use development on 10± AC along the Eastern Waterfront! www.portlandforeside.com PORTLAND'S FIRST TRUE CLASS A OFFICE BUILDING FOR LEASE 10,000-170,000± SF 58 FORE STREET, PORTLAND CONTACT CHARLES d o w c m . c o m The power of brothers to make things happen. Bill Dow, CFP ® Portfolio Manager (207) 878-1573 Mike Dow, MBA Portfolio Manager (207) 878-1574 Securities offered through Bolton Global Capital, Inc., 579 Main St., Bolton, MA. Member FINRA, SIPC 978-779-5361. Advisory services offered through Bolton Global Asset Management, a SEC registered investment advisor. DWC/DW30027 C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » A short history of the drone 1918: The first "self-flying aerial torpedo" was developed when the U.S. entered World War I. 1943: The German military debuted the first remotely controlled munition. 1982: Israel deploys unmanned aircraft. 1995: The U.S. Predator drone enters service. 2010: The Parrot AR Drone, a smartphone-controlled quadcop- ter for consumers, is introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. 2012: Congress requires the Federal Aviation Administration to integrate small drones into national airspace by 2015. S O U R C E S : Business Insider, Smithsonian Magazine, Fortune

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