A Couple from Down South at Kaipara Flats on 9-1-2025

 There were a couple of strangers from the South Island at Kaipara Flats yesterday:

Christchurch Helicopters Ltd's Eurocopter EC 120B ZK-HPM5 has been based at NZKF for a few days carrying out LIDAR surveying in the area for Auckland Council.  LIDAR stands for Light Detection And Ranging and uses lasers for measuring the earth's surface.  The helicopter flies a grid pattern at a fixed height above the ground capturing the data.  You can see part of the LIDAR equipment beneath the helicopter's fuselage I understand the equipment is as expensive as the helicopter! 

Arriving for re-fuelling.

VADIS Geomatics is a subsidiary of Christchurch Helicopters.

And the second visitor, CZAW Sportcruiser ZK-DEC2, was not strictly up from the South Island, but after many years based at Ashburton its ownership changed to a Cambridge owner on 21/6/24.  It is now based at Te Kowhai.