Matthews and his trekking partner, Chris Officer, are contracted through Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency, to gather images for Google
Maps. All told, they have already walked more than 200 miles of Florida
beachfront, each logging up to 7.5 miles a day with the camera orb.
Each camera on the orb takes a shot every 2.5 seconds as they walk.
Their quest: to create panoramic views to place online of every Florida beach — similar to the internet giant's Street View — which has taken photos of everything from ordinary homes and businesses to world-famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State building.
Visit Florida has partnered with Google in the effort to map all 825 miles of Florida's beaches.
Fighting fire with…ping pong
This site explains
“One form of aerial ignition uses a plastic sphere dispenser (PSD) machine, commonly called the ‘Ping-Pong Ball System.’ The PSD, generally mounted in a helicopter, feeds Ping Pong-like balls through a chute leading out of the helicopter. The balls, which contain a chemical oxidizing agent, are injected with a water-glycol solution (antifreeze) as they are shot out of the PSD. The chemicals react thermally and ignite in 25-30 seconds out of the chute as they fall to the ground.”
Photo Credit
August 31, 2013 in Industry Commentary | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)