What Are The Uses Of Aerial Cranes?

There are hundreds of different cranes used in different industries. Did you know that helicopters are also used as cranes for lifting and shifting loads? Many crane services provide this service. Let’s discuss!

What Are Arial Cranes?

Aerial cranes are also called helicopter cranes and sky cranes. They are helicopters that use rigging equipment for lifting loads and moving cargo. Aerial cranes are efficient in transporting loads because they take less time in the process compared to other cranes that are road-bound.

Uses Of Aerial Cranes

Aerial cranes are mostly used in the construction and transportation industries.

Transporting Heavy Cargo

Helicopter cranes are preferred by many sites and teams for the transportation of heavy materials and cargo because require no setup. The helicopter with the right rigging equipment will stop at the site for lifting the load. Once the load is hooked, the helicopter will fly to the destination.

The process is easy, but you should need many measurements, calculations, and strong rigging materials. Otherwise, it can lead to accidents.

Therefore, the project team will prepare a complete lifting plan. Many factors will be taken into consideration for the preparation of the lifting plan like the load line, hook-up configuration, sling types and lengths, cable types and lengths, and other factors. Moreover, the lifting capacity of the helicopter and the equipment attached are factored in as well.

Keep in mind that a construction helicopter can lift and transport 2000 to 10000 pounds of loads.

Aerial cranes are used for the lifting and transportation of machinery and building materials like brick, concrete, steel, wood, and others.

The quick turnaround time provided by helicopter cranes makes these a great option for projects that are on a tight schedule and need to transport cargo and materials quickly to the site.

Installation Or Removal Of Commercial Buildings Rooftop Units

Commercial buildings have various systems that are installed on rooftops like commercial HVAC units, ventilation systems, adapter curbs, rooftop chillers, etc. These systems are impossible to remove or install on rooftops without aerial help from helicopter cranes.

You may argue that some cranes mounted on the ground can lift the rooftop units easily. This is true, but there are various problems in it. The ground cranes will need a lot of space for working. In commercial regions of a city, space is restricted and the use of these cranes for a simple installation or removal of rooftop units doesn’t make sense.

Moreover, speed is another reason why helicopter cranes are preferred by rigging services MD over traditional cranes. Even if ground cranes lift rooftop units and safely land them, they will need to be transported via trucks to the factories or their destinations. This will take much more time compared to helicopters.

With helicopter cranes, the removal of a rooftop unit can be done within 1-2 hours. The project will be handled and done at a drastically faster pace than using cranes and trucks. On top of the benefits, many by-road transportations are delayed due to traffic and travel delays. Helicopter operations are fast because road traffic is no concern for them.

Bad weather can stop the operation of helicopter cranes, but it’s less common. Moreover, to avoid this problem, projects are scheduled to keep the weather in check.

Forestry Operations

Transporting any to or from forests is difficult. Moreover, the use of cranes and trucks is impossible in forests. Therefore, the only way to transport and restore, and lift materials is by utilizing helicopter cranes.

Helicopters are used in habitat restoration. Root wads, logs, and other required things are placed in the area that needs to be restored using aerial cranes.

Moreover, using helicopters for lifting and removing trees from forests is an old and common use of aerial cranes. It’s also called helicopter logging.

For helicopter logging, helicopters come near the tree aerially. Using rigging tools, the tree is grappled by the helicopter crane. The helicopter is pulled up to force the tree wood to break or get uprooted completely. After this, the tree is safely transported to the set drop-off location.

The reason why helicopter logging is popular because of the many advantages it offers. There is far less infrastructure required for helicopter logging compared to any other means of removing and transporting trees from the forest.

Moreover, when more infrastructure is required, then it means you will need more manpower and have to spend more on the project. So, any other means except for helicopter cranes for removing and transporting trees is not practical for project managers.

Ski Lift Installation And Repair

Ski lifts are usually in remote places the use of cranes is either difficult or not practical. Helicopters assist in ski lift construction projects by hauling towers, rigging equipment, and other machine and materials required for the project.

Moreover, helicopters are also used for laying the foundations of ski lift towers. As the pouring of concrete is required in high numbers, helicopters do the pouring and speed up the construction process of ski lifts.

Utility Construction Projects

Unsurprising, given the efficiency provided by helicopter cranes, they are also used in utility construction projects as well. They are used in power line construction and repair, natural gas line construction and repair, and other utility-related projects.

Oil Or Gas Pipeline Construction Or Repair

Any project that is related to oil or gas pipeline construction or repair requires the transportation of huge pipes from the factories to the area of installation. Traditional means of transportation are slow and costly. Therefore, aerial cranes are used for hauling pipes much more quickly than trucks.

Moreover, the use of helicopter cranes is not limited to pipes transportation. They are also used for pouring foundations and structures and transporting machinery and materials for the project.

Oil And Gas Transportation

Helicopter cranes are used for the construction and repair of oil and gas pipelines and rigs, but they are also used for the transportation of these energy resources directly from one place to another.

Many times, oil and gas rigs are offshore, and using ships for transportation of items and personnel will take too much time. Therefore, helicopter cranes are used for this purpose. This ensures quick delivery of the required resources.

Time is important when a rig or any other station requires repairs. Some repairs are serious and can stop a part of the operation or the entire operation. Therefore, helicopter cranes transport repair parts, heavy machinery, and other items for quick repairs.

Cell Tower Construction And Repairs

Cell towers and transmission towers require assistance from helicopters in the setting of heavy pipe sections. Moreover, the job of utility helicopters increases if the tower installation is in a forest. Then, most of the job of installing towers is done by using helicopters.

Powerlines Construction And Repair

The use of helicopters for powerline construction is less in areas that are connected with clear roads. However, if the location of the powerlines is far or repairs are required ungently, helicopters are the preferred means for moving and transporting machinery, replacement materials, and personnel to the site.

Conclusion

Aerial cranes are considered a faster and more efficient method of transporting machinery and materials for projects in different industries. If your project requires quick transportation of heavy materials, consult crane rentals VA for aerial cranes.