Blue Sky Network, a global provider of mobile asset management and fleet management solutions using GPS tracking, today announced it will work with VIH Helicopters to provide flight tracking for the distribution of voter materials for this year’s presidential election in Angola. This is the first national election since 1992 for the southwestern African country, and the Angolan government has contracted Canada-based VIH, which has equipped their entire fleet with Blue Sky network tracking, to assist with transportation and logistics before and after the election.

 

VIH Helicopters, which has Blue Sky Network D1000C and ACH1000 kits installed on its entire aircraft fleet, will provide two Sikorsky S-92s, two Sikorsky S-61s, a Bell 212 and a Eurocopter EC135. The helicopters will be used to help set up polling booths before the election and to fly international observers throughout the country. The helicopters will also act as mobile polling stations for voters in remote communities and offshore oil rigs. After the election, the contracted helicopters will serve as a temporary national transit service since many roads in the region are impassable.

 

“Blue Sky Network equipment in each aircraft is essential to our flight watch plan for this project. There is very little air traffic control in Angola and the VHF radio coverage is extremely patchy,” said Corey Taylor, operations manager for VIH. “Local operators in Angola use high frequency radio but that is not reliable across the country, and we wouldn’t feel comfortable having six aircraft in the Angolan outback without knowing where they are at all times.”

 

Blue Sky Network’s D1000C is a reliable and economic solution for near real-time fleet tracking with a built in GPS position reporting, an Iridium transceiver and telemetry data link. Combined with the ACH1000 control head, it also provides VIH helicopters with voice connectivity. This secure and easily installed equipment brings reliable fleet reporting and remote tracking capabilities to all the VIH helicopters, regardless of location.

 

Both kits work in conjunction with SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network’s Web-based tracking software. SkyRouter easily integrates with Google (News - Alert) Earth for asset tracking, and interactive updates on all mobile assets. The onboard unit transmits reports from the remote assets directly to the site for review by operations or dispatch, providing a real-time view of asset locations.

 

“We are pleased to supply our valued, long time customer VIH and the Angolan government with our technology for this historic event,” said Jon Gilbert, president and CEO of Blue Sky Network. “This is a great example of how Blue Sky Network tracking and GPS solutions provide essential communication tools for organizations working in developing countries around the world.”