Fairweather Expands Remote Sensing Capabilities in Arctic with VDOS Acquisition

Fairweather, LLC, an Anchorage-based provider of marine science, medical, aviation, meteorological and expediting support to Alaska’s natural resource industry, has announced that it has acquired majority ownership of VDOS (Virtual Data Operations Support), LLC, a provider of manned and unmanned remote sensing and data collection services. Fairweather is a member of the Chouest group of companies. VDOS provides operational support to commercial, government and humanitarian entities spanning the globe from the Arctic Circle to the Middle East.  VDOS will continue to be run by Brian Whiteside who founded the company and has been a pioneer in the commercial application and humanitarian use of unmanned systems.

“The new Fairweather/VDOS partnership will offer a new, unique approach to remote sensing in the Arctic,” said Sherron Perry, CEO of Fairweather. “We are focused on providing our clients with highly-targeted scientific data acquisition solutions and products, not just massive amounts of data.”

Fairweather and VDOS were brought together in response to the critical need in the Arctic oil and gas industry for actionable scientific data to aid real-time decision making.  This capability is enabled by cutting-edge technologies such as live streaming high-definition video, infrared, LIDAR and multispectral sensors.  Through proprietary technology, the team offers the unique ability to collect relevant, real-time environmental and scientific data utilizing a network of integrated sensors deployed via subsea, surface and airborne assets.  

Bolstered by its new remote sensing capabilities, the newly-formed Fairweather/VDOS team brings over forty years of experience to operations throughout the North Slope of Alaska and the Bering and Chukchi Seas.  Efforts will be focused on deploying scientific teams and providing technical support to meet the needs of multiple clients in the environmental and energy sectors.  Backed by the resources and experience of the Chouest group of companies, Fairweather is poised to expand VDOS operations quickly to meet the region’s growing demand for remote sensing with a focus on reduced risk and improved safety.

 For additional information, contact Lori Davey at Fairweather at (907) 267-4602 or visit www.fairweather.com.