Smart cities aren’t a concept for the distant future. They’re actually being built right now. Smart cities are urban areas that utilize technology and data in order to improve efficiency and sustainability, create more advanced transportation networks, and improve quality of life for residents. 

Behind the scenes are the helicopters that play a crucial role in making these developments possible. 

In this blog, we’ll share the role of helicopters in smart city infrastructure development, including how they gather key data, perform critical assessments, support construction, enable quicker emergency response, and more. Understanding the value helicopters bring to smart urban development might just change how you go about your next project. 

The Benefits of a Bird’s-Eye View: Aerial Surveys & Data Collection

Helicopters are capable of flying and hovering over dense urban areas while equipped with thermal cameras, sensors, and cutting-edge graphing software. This technology allows them to capture high-resolution imagery, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, and geospatial information that city planners and engineers can use to:

• Plan for roads, bridges, and utilities
• Map terrain for urban development
• Create accurate land use and zoning models
• Appropriately allocate resources
• Analyze wind, sun, and landscapes for renewable energy
• Support conservation and habitat planning
• Predict and manage flood-prone areas
• Identify natural hazard zones for emergency response planning

Essentially, helicopters enable smart city planners to design more sustainable urban layouts while surpassing traditional ground surveying techniques in both accuracy and cost-effectiveness.

Smarter Infrastructure Assessments

Regular inspections of power lines, cell towers, rooftops, roadways, bridges, dams, and other key infrastructure are key to keeping smart cities running smoothly. Helicopters offer a safer, faster, and more effective way to assess hard-to-reach infrastructure without the need to climb poles, trek through rugged terrain, or set up hefty ground equipment. 

Helicopter service companies equip their fleet with cutting-edge imaging technology – like infrared cameras and high-zoom optics – to help inspectors safely detect issues that are invisible to the naked eye. 

Here are a few benefits of helicopter-based infrastructure inspections:

• Quicker Assessments: Helicopters can fly at high speeds, enabling crews to inspect multiple types of infrastructure in a single flight. This increased efficiency results in fewer delays and quicker responses to potential issues and emergency repairs.
  
  
• Access to Tough-to-Reach Areas: Helicopters are capable of soaring high above obstacles to give inspectors a clear and safe view of infrastructure (without requiring hiking, climbing, or heavy ground equipment).
  
  
• Real-Time Reporting: Another advantage of using helicopters for infrastructure inspections is that onboard equipment can provide instant data. Crews can analyze footage and images on the spot and make quick decisions to fix issues before they turn into bigger headaches, like power outages that affect entire communities.

Smarter Building: Heavy-Lift Construction for Urban Infrastructure

Whether smart city developers need to install a heavy HVAC unit on a rooftop, build a skyscraper, or transport bulky materials to a tight urban construction site, helicopters streamline construction to keep smart city projects on schedule and within budget. 

Here’s how:

• Heavy-Lift Capabilities: Helicopters can quickly lift and transport thousands of pounds of materials and equipment. More efficient heavy lifting, enhanced mobility and precision, and quicker transportation of crews and cargo mean increased safety, less time spent on setup and teardown, and fewer costly mistakes and delays.
  
  
• Logistical Support: Helicopters also streamline the construction process, shorten project timelines, and reduce costs. How? These aircraft enable crews to conduct more efficient preliminary site assessments for smarter decision making. They also swiftly deliver materials to remote construction sites and areas that would be difficult to access through traditional means.
  
  
• Sustainability: Helicopters are also increasingly sustainable – a fundamental goal of smart city building. The advancement of sustainable fuel alternatives, engine efficiency, hybrid-electric technologies, aerodynamics, and helicopter construction materials is helping to reduce helicopter fuel consumption and emissions.

Sustainable Energy Farm Installation

Because sustainability is a core goal of smart cities, the demand for sustainable energy sources like wind and solar power continues to grow. Helicopters are capable of playing a key role in making these energy solutions a reality – especially in hard-to-reach or environmentally sensitive areas.

For example, helicopters can support the development of wind farms and solar farms by transporting, positioning, and installing heavy components like towers, turbines, blades, and solar panels – all with speed and a level of precision that saves time and reduces the environmental impact of ground-based construction.

The ability of helicopters to lift heavy materials and access difficult terrain makes them ideal for expanding clean energy infrastructure without extensive land disruption.

Urban Air Mobility

As urban populations continue to explode and cities become increasingly congested, the need for innovative transportation solutions also grows. Urban air mobility (UAM) is one potential helicopter-based solution shaping the next era of transportation. 

Urban air mobility is the concept of transporting people and goods via small, electric or hybrid-electric aircraft at lower altitudes than airplanes. These helicopter taxis would help alleviate gridlock, reduce harmful emissions, and offer more efficient travel between cities. 

The flexibility and maneuverability of helicopters – along with the significant strides the helicopter industry is making toward more sustainable aircraft – make them an invaluable tool in UAM research and development. 

Rapid Support: Emergency Response and Disaster Relief

No smart city would be complete without an optimized emergency response strategy. When disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes strike, helicopters offer speed and access to disaster zones that ground vehicles (like fire trucks and ambulances) cannot match. 

Here are the key capabilities of disaster relief helicopters that highlight why these aircraft are such a vital part of any smart city’s crisis response plan:

• Aerial surveillance and damage surveys
• Firefighting 
• Search and rescue missions
• Life-saving emergency medical evacuations
• Essential supply delivery (food, water, medical supplies, etc.)
• Transportation of first responders and aid workers to disaster zones

Learn more about the many roles helicopters play in disaster relief, including how they save lives and pave the way for rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of crises.

Helicopters Are Essential for Smart Infrastructure

As cities continue to grow smarter, helicopters play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of urban infrastructure. Their unparalleled speed, access, and precision enable urban planners and decision makers to stay informed and build more sustainable and efficient communities.

Ready to Elevate Your Smart City Initiative?

At Helicopter Express, we bring the fleet, tools, and expertise to support every facet of smart city development – from heavy-lift construction to sustainability initiatives. Our elite pilots and unwavering commitment to safety make us a trusted partner for complex urban projects within the U.S. and across the globe.

Contact Helicopter Express today to learn how our helicopter services can support your goals and keep your smart city infrastructure project on budget and on time.