Virtual Aerial History
Virtual Aerial started initially by bringing the concept of elevated photography to Kelowna and the surrounding Okanagan area. Using specially imported telescopic mast equipment, we were able to provide detailed high resolution photographs from elevated vantage points previously not achievable with either a blimp baloon (3 or 4 times the cost), a remote control helicopter (at least 3 or 4 times the cost) or a real helicopter (maybe 20 times the cost?) We operated as The Aerial Camera (theaerialcamera.com) and now this domain points toward this site.
As well as the cost benefit, we were also able to take photographs more accurately and employ techniques including bracketed exposure – merging several different exposure values of the same image to generate a High Dynamic Range image (HDRI) – a technique simply not possible from a moving camera.
Kelowna Events
Our services soon developed into event photography and again the benefits of the system were fabulous. The mast could be erected in a strategic point and stay up all day with the operator having remote motorized control of the camera, up, down and 360 degrees around. The operator has constant live preview on a laptop computer and can pan round, zoom in and out (from a complete overview of a large outdoor event right up to detailed faces of people maybe 200 feet away). The photos are instantly transferred to the laptop allowing the operator to take unlimited numbers of photographs in order to select the best.
Okanagan Virtual Tours
Shortly after starting the aerial camera work, we noticed an opportunity in the field of virtual tours. There were certainly a lot of providers although almost all of them were simple 360 turn round scenes – typically a row of un-connected thumbnail images, click this one to see the entrance, click this one to see the games room or the bedroom or whatever. Up pops the scene and you can look left or right all the way round. What they lacked was any perspective of where this room was in relation to that room – not really a ‘tour’ at all, just a collection of separate scenes. So began The Virtual Camera (thevirtualcamera.com) which now also points to this Virtual Aerial site.
Interactive Virtual Tours
We wanted to produce virtual tours that included a map of the tour – in the case of property, hotels etc this would be a floorplan, or for large areas like city tours it would be a map. Each tour scene would not only be marked on the map but would also have an indication of which direction the viewer was looking in. We do this by showing a ‘radar fan’ so for example when you drag the scene past a window, you can see whether that is a window to the front, the side or whatever. This feature has been hugely well received and it so often said to us that this really ‘makes sense’ of the whole thing. For some virtual tours, for example of cars, the map feature may not be relevant and we take the customer’s instructions on how to proceed.
We also wanted the tour scenes to be interlinked, so when the view in one scene passes another (say you are looking at a door to the bar in hotel lobby) you can click on the scene to ‘walk-through’ to that next scene. Our virtual tours include the option of a virtual walk-through effect for adjacent scenes.
Virtual 3D Spherical Panoramas
We could see that it was possible to photograph locations in order to see all of the scene, including the top and the bottom. So not only can you look round 360 degrees but also ‘up and under’ 360 degrees – the whole room in virtual 3 dimensions. We now offer this for all tours as an option – clearly there are some occasions when there is no merit to viewing an unattractive ceiling.
Virtual Aerial and Aermerica
Virtual Aerial is currently assisting the development of a partner company in the TriState area of the United States which will trade as Aermerica.com. The owners of the two companies used to work together in Real Estate 20 years ago and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship for the future.
future locations...
Virtual Aerial seeks to expand in the future and is currently developing a franchise model for opportunities throughout Canada. For more information please visit our opportunities page…
