Ian Coker was contracted by the UK's Department For International Development (DFID) and by CARE Bolivia's Madidi project to undertake aerial photographic and mapping work in remote regions of Bolivia, South America. In order to do this work it was necessary to take aerial photographs from a chartered light aircraft. This required the design, development and testing of a special-purpose camera mount system.

This was successfully achieved at minimum cost and included the following components: 1. A novel "camera seat" arrangement which allowed the camera to be rotated and fixed about three axes. 2. A means of remote shutter release. 3. A means for fixing the system to the aircraft without the need for structural modifications. 4. A windshield. 5. A digital video camera and TV monitor. 6. An intrinsically safe power supply.

 

The above equipment was used to successfully complete aerial photographic surveys over rainforest and farmland of Bolivia. This work has been published as "Sustainable agriculture through aerial photography and modern technology" by Ian Coker, Marlon Flores & Doris Coker, (Vol 27 No.2, April/June 2000) in the Appropriate Technology Magazine (now incorporated into International Agricultural Development which is published by Research Information LTD, Hemel Hempstead, UK).