The decision to purchase a balloon and mast combo system is a wise choice in bringing the best of both worlds to your aerial photography business. Aerial Products has taken each individual system and created a combo kit that includes everything you need to take photos from ground level to 1,000 feet (300 meters). Having the option of using the camera pole and/or the blimp provides your business with the most cost-efficient method for executing your shot list. It is our belief that in order to have a successful aerial photography business, you need the right equipment and you need flexibility to react to your customer’s changing needs. This total coverage approach means investing in a camera mast (or pole) and a blimp camera system.

Many of our aerial photographers have real estate agents and developers as their customers. With the blimp and mast combo system, they are able to take the one-story and two-story houses with the mast, take the coastal properties with the blimp, and continue their blimp camera work at a shopping center, or multi-story project because they have the flexibility to use the benefits of both systems.

There are certain advantages to the mast that you just don't have with the blimp. Depending on your market area and the type of photography you shoot, the 50’ mast is easy to use and may be of sufficient height to get the perfect shot every time. Since the mast is easy to transport then mount on your vehicle, you can drive up, mount the camera, raise the mast and take your shot. Our pneumatic masts reach your desired height without much fuss. It takes less than 2 minutes with a manual pump. Then you can bring the camera down and drive off in a relatively short time frame, probably no more than 20 minutes.

Likewise, there are certain advantages to the blimp that you don’t have with the mast. The blimp system can reach 1000 feet while the mast only goes to 50 feet/15 meters. You can dramatically increase your shot range at 1000 feet with the blimp or balloon. Purchasing a larger mast gets very expensive and prices you out of the market for certain jobs, especially when you’ll probably gain only 50 more feet. The blimp system takes more time and effort to set up and take down, but the potential revenue for the harder-to-get, higher altitude shot makes up the difference. Make sure to weigh the pros and cons of each system against the extra cost of having both systems. Although the combination is beneficial, if your business model and marketing don't take advantage of each, you will have additional cost without additional revenue.

Pan/Tilt Unit in Motion Video Display Quality Systems Include: Pan/Tilt Balloon Unit Wireless Ground Station 2 Sets of Batteries Battery Chargers Camera Frame 50' Pneumatic Mast Deluxe Trailer Hitch KingFisher Aerostat 2 Tether lines Patch kit, fill hose Everything you need except Helium
	Small Point & Shoot	Mid-sized P&S and DSLR	Mid-sized Digital SLR	Large-sized Digital SLR	Video Systems
Sample of Cameras Supported	Pentax A40 Nikon P6000	Canon G10 Canon XSI/450D	Canon 5D Mark II Canon 50D Nikon D90	Nikon D700/D300 Nikon D3 Canon 1DS Mark III	Sony HC9 Canon HVIA Canon XH G1S
Zoom	In-camera	Separate servo	Separate servo	Separate servo	Separate servo
Auto Focus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mast Type	5lb. 50 ft.	5lb. 50 ft.	20lb. 50 ft.	20lb. 50 ft.	20lb. 50 ft.
Kingfisher Model	K7U (6.8' x 5.4')	K7U (6.8' x 5.4')	K8U (7.75' x 6.2')	K8U (7.75' x 6.2')	K8U (7.75' x 6.2')
Standard Trailer Hitch	$7950	$8650	$10200	$11300	$8850
Deluxe Trailer Hitch	$8250	$8950	$10500	$11600	$9150
With Tripod	$9000	$9700	$11250	$12350	$9900

There are many uses for aerial photography, to name a few:
• Real Estate –developments, neighborhoods, estate homes, horse farms, ranches, shopping centers
• State, County, Municipal road and other development projects
• Environmental cleanup projects
• Archeological sites
• Roofing companies for roof top analysis (thermal) and post-construction photos
• Surveillance –quiet operation, can pose as an advertising blimp
• Construction projects –condominiums for floor by floor views, progress photos of large sites
• Microwave transmission site surveying
• Magazine/Newspaper contract shots of festivals, fairs, parades
• Shorefront erosion tracking
• FEMA or other Emergency Agency site survey photos