Equipment & Technology

Advancements in the equipment and technology used in aerial spraying operations have opened a new opportunity for vegetation management. Now more than ever, managers need to allocate every resource possible to control noxious weeds and brush while maintaining the highest standard in environmental protection. Precision aerial application of herbicides can often be the right tool for your habitat restoration project. With the right equipment and technology at our disposal you will be amazed at what we can do for you.


People often think of precision aerial application services as only a helicopter and its spray system. Today it is so much more. It starts weeks before the project. Preparation and communication with the project manager, NRCS offices, private landowners and/or forest management teams allows us to define the project and its special needs.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Our in-house GIS specialist gives us the ability to visually communicate the project, its boundaries and sensitive areas. This communication start with the customer passes through to the field of operations and ends back with the customer documenting the flight operations and coverage. The combination of our in-house GIS system and or on-board DGPS flight system is the first of many special equipment and technologies used to for precision aerial application.

Pre-job Boundary Map from GIS System Post-job Spray Map into GIS System

Loader Trucks/Batch Trucks



I.           Size and Capacity

  • 1. 1000 gal Jet-A Tank
  • 2. 3000 gal Clean Water Tank
  • 3. 800 gal Chemical Tank
  • 4. 250 gal Mix Tank


II.           DOT 406 Specification on All Tanks

  • 1. Double Walled Tanks
  • 2. Roll-over Protection
  • 3. Emergency Hazmat Values
  • 4. Spill Proof Lids


III.         Best Management Practices (BMP)

  • 1. Triple Rinse Capability on Every Truck
  • 2. Rinse Water Sprayed Over Treatment Area.
  • 3. Calibrated Chemical Meters
  • 4. Separate Clean Water Tank
  • 5. Dry Breaks with Closed Chemical System
  • 6. Air Gap and Filter on Clean Water Intake System


IV.         Chemical Bulk System

Our enclosed chemical system provides clean, safe, and environmentally friendly chemical handling and loading.



V.         Productivity

Our trucks load the chemical and fuel for helicopter from the heliport on top of loader truck. Full load of chemical can be loaded in under 30 seconds, and with fuel around 45 seconds total.

Triple-rinse capability on every truck
A Kubota diesel engine powering a hydraulic pump system is used for on-site chemical loading and refueling. This produces the quick turn-a-round time for productivity.

Helicopters, Spray Systems & GPS Units

All of our helicopters are OH-58 series designed to lift and carry at least 100 gals per load giving us the productivity to be competitive while remaining a light and moveable aircraft for precision work. All of these helicopters are turbine powered helicopters for the safety and reliability needed for working in aerial application environment.

All of our helicopters are equipped with a high volume hydraulic spray system capable of producing 2.5 to 50 gallon per acre. We have 3- section booms which allow our pilots to change between 15, 30 and 45 foot swaths while spraying. This enables us to apply chemical only on the target species saving wanted vegetation and valuable herbicide. Our variable flow control unit allows us adjust our speed and swath while maintaining the proper rate and protecting the environment.


Our Trimble TrimFlight 3 GPS unit enables our pilots to maintain complete records of all flights. This includes both spraying and non-spraying flight logs. The unit gives guidance to the pilot enabling him to return back very spot he last sprayed. It also allows him to maintain the proper swath distance, guiding him over one swath at a time while helping to prevent both streaks and off-site application.



Precision application technologies have made great improvements over the last ten years, from the use of helicopters, to GPS units, to variable flow control units. North Star Helicopter will continue to find and implement the very best technologies and techniques for precision aerial application. Today, that means working the actual herbicide manufactures to reduce the rate of herbicide and improve the adjuvants to produce highest rate of vegetation control while minimizing off target drift.