5 Important Things To Look For When Choosing A Telescoping Tower
Need an eagle’s eye view of the situation? A telescoping tower can get you up close and in the action without the hassle of flying a drone. In fact, the telescoping mast fitted with a high tech camera is the weapon of choice for law enforcement, the military, government, and private agencies tasked with public security and safety.
What are the benefits of a telescoping tower and what should you look for to be sure you are getting the best telescoping mast for the job?
We answer these questions and more as we explore what makes the Rapid All-Terrain Tower (RATT) the best telescoping tower in the business. Follow us up the tower so you can see for yourself.
Telescoping Tower Considerations
The most important consideration, of course, is functionality. You need to get eyes on the target area as quickly and efficiently as possible. When life and death emergencies call, your equipment better be ready to answer with these top 5 important considerations.
1. Mobility
Your tower needs to be easily transported to where it is needed. Telescoping towers detract to a manageable size and can easily be set up by a single individual in minutes. The RATT doesn’t require a trailer to move, but rather fits into any 2×2 hitch on any truck or jeep.
The RATT can go anywhere your all-terrain vehicle can go. Unrivaled mobility is why so many agencies rely on telescoping towers for their aerial surveillance and tactical response needs. The RATT is currently being used in operations with:
The U.S. Military
DOD
FBI
TSA
NATO Peacekeeping
These are only a few of the agencies that trust the RATT’s mobility to take them wherever the action might be.
2. Speed of Deployment
A matter of minutes can make all the difference in the success of the mission. Once on the scene, the RATT can be set up in less than 5 minutes.
The electric or optional hand pump raises the tower 30 – 50 feet in under 2 minutes. This amounts to huge time savings when compared to the 20 minutes a trailer pole camera takes to set up.
This incredibly fast deployment makes the RATT ideal for situations where time is an important factor. Here are just a few of the situations where a telescoping tower comes in handy:
SWAT and other law enforcement quick response needs
Situational awareness in high-risk environments
AI-Analytics / LPR
Security of outdoor events and concerts
Protest surveillance/deterrent
Search and rescue operations
The applications of a rapidly deployed telescoping tower are never-ending. The RATT is so simple to set-up that anyone can fully deploy the tower quickly without the need for specialized training.
3. Able to Use the Best Equipment
Using drones for aerial surveillance has many inherent disadvantages including the limitations of the small and lightweight video equipment they utilize. The RATT deploys state of the art PTZ cameras with lenses far more superior than of even the most expensive of drones.
Most drones are equipped with 2x or 8x optical zooms, compared to the 55x optical zooms of cameras often deployed with the use of a telescoping tower. With the cameras utilized by the RATT, users can easily zoom in on any part of the scene without detection.
That’s not the only advantage that the RATT has over the drone either.
Bad Weather Conditions
The weather can never be expected to cooperate, and it is not always possible to call off the operation because of storms or snow. In these situations, a drone can be blown right out of the sky or struggle to remain still enough to pick up the needed video quality. On the other hand, the RATT stands strong and unwavering even in the worst weather conditions.
Length of Operation
The great bottleneck of technology is battery life. Operations that rely on drones are thwarted by “time in the sky” limitations their batteries impose. The largest drones have batteries that power a 40 minute flight time at best, with most batteries lasting only around 18 to 30 minutes.
Equipment deployed with a telescoping mast can be powered on large batteries in the vehicle or generators. Most towers are simply powered by the vehicle’s 12v battery and can last as long as the vehicle has fuel. This enables the operation to continue for hours or even days without interruption.
No Need for Highly Skilled Operators
Flying a drone is not as easy as it sounds. Even the most highly skilled and experienced drone operators often have a difficult time getting the shot and returning the drone without incident. There are simply too many things that can go wrong with these highly sophisticated flying machines.
Often Require Special Permits
Drones also have safety issues that the FAA regulates by requiring permits to operate in most circumstances, especially at night. These licenses and waivers can be costly and take days to issue. Most operations can’t afford days on the ground waiting on permits.
The RATT requires no permits to operate and is quickly and easily deployable anywhere a vehicle can travel and park.
4. Work with Existing Equipment
The sophisticated camera equipment used in surveillance operations is already par for the course and all part of the job. Keeping all that camera power on the ground has serious limitations and that’s where the RATT comes in.
All sizes and variations of video equipment can easily mount to the RATT and interchange as needed; however, the tower is not only used for video equipment but also a variety of equipment for many different needs.
Some types of equipment deployed with a telescoping tower include:
Video recorders
Radio / LTE signal transmitters, receivers, and repeaters
3D laser scanners
Outdoor lighting
Long-Range acoustic devices
Surveying equipment
With the vehicle itself acting as the base of the tower, the RATT can deploy your vital equipment safely in the air, regardless of the terrain and without the need for bulky bases or a separate trailer.
5. Maintenance and Expected Life
One last consideration when deciding the best telescoping tower is how long it will serve its purpose. The RATT is manufactured with high strength aluminum that is not only strong, but highly resistant to weathering and impact damage.
The simple yet highly effective design of the RATT requires very little maintenance. There is very little that can go wrong, but if there is an issue, they are quick and easy to repair.
Choose RATT
The advantages of the telescoping tower over other methods of aerial deployment are clear. Don’t delay and go on one more mission unarmed with the best tactical tools available. Contact us and we can discuss how telescoping towers will help your operations go powerfully smooth and ultimately accomplish the mission.