Specialist aerial photography company IronBird, which is based in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle creative sector, has been appointed by property firm Peel to film its Liverpool Waters development site. IronBird will use remotely piloted craft to film the site, which Peel wants to transform into a £5.5bn commercial, retail, residential and leisure development.
Peel will then use the film in its global marketing campaign to attract developers and investors for the site on the Mersey.
IronBird was set up by former TV cameramen Alec Caton and Rob Tilly.
In the year since they created their new venture they have been commissioned for a series of complex aerial filming projects by the BBC, Channel 4, Universal and Red Productions, across a variety of different platforms, including children’s TV, drama and movies.
The company has won work from Balfour Beatty and Carillion, as well as Peel, which also owns the Port of Liverpool and a significant minority stake in Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Both men are qualified by the Civil Aviation Authority to fly unmanned aircraft in the UK and Europe.
They met while working together as cameramen on Liverpool-based Lime Pictures’ Hollyoaks and Nickelodeon’s production House of Anubis.
Ian Pollitt, development investment surveyor for Peel, said: “One of our commitments as a business is to ensure our activity benefits local businesses as far as possible.
“IronBird have produced something for us which is genuinely unique.
“Their technology enables them to fly over, and get high definition footage of buildings and areas which would be out of bounds to conventional aircraft.“
He added: “Their aircraft are able to get really close to the ground and to buildings and capture stunning footage.
“We were delighted to be able to commission them to produce this work and to help them with their fledgling venture.“
Alec Caton, co-director of IronBird, said: “Our first year in business has been amazing and it is fantastic to be able to count major companies such as Peel amongst our client list.
“We’re finding that there is a real market for our technology and expertise in the development and property sector, not just for marketing purposes, but also in order that surveyors and others can examine in detail buildings or sites which might otherwise be inaccessible.
“This can save thousands of pounds in costs, such as scaffolding.”
Photo: Rob Tilly and Alec Caton of IronBird with Ian Pollitt from Peel Holdings
Source:B Daily