UK-based APEM has expanded its remote sensing operation with a fourth aircraft, a Vulcanair P68C, which will be used to gather data for environmental surveys.

Remote sensing is crucial to the development of offshore wind farms, which require a survey to ensure that surrounding wildlife will not be adversely affected.

The aircraft is brand new and was collected by APEM's chief pilot from the Vulcanair factory in Naples and flown back to Chester via Lyon and Oxford in a speedy time of nine hours and five minutes.

The company chose the registration G-GIGA, because it is expected to collect many gigabytes of data during aerial surveys for a large number of renewable energy projects, which will generate many gigawatts of renewable energy when they are constructed.

It is fitted with an RCD 30 camera, and is used to gather visual data about specific environments. All four P68s have full survey specifications, including a factory fitted camera hatch, which enables APEM to install the appropriate camera required for each survey.