If you happen to see a banner flapping behind a plane flying low above your neighbourhood, do not panic. It will just be the advertisement world climbing new heights.
The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given sanction to Sky Ads, a firm pioneering the new advertisement medium, to use airspace to tow banners for promotional activity with the help of an aircraft.
Trial demonstrations will begin in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh by mid-March.
Captain S.S. Dhillon, MD, Sky Ads, said, “We’ll arrange the towing of your message along with logos across the sky. As the banner will not have to compete with any other ad in this space, the message is sure to be noticed by a large number of people.”
The firm is the first in India to offer these services. Dhillon said it took some time to convince the DGCA regarding aspects such as safety and security.
The concept will offer clients flexibility in targeting specific geographical locations and the frequency of display.
The idea is new in India but has been around in the US, Europe, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia for a long time.
Sky Ads has procured a Piper aircraft from the US for the purpose. “Our pilot has been trained in Australia for this job,” says Dhillon.
The maximum height of a sky advertisement will be 7 feet and the total area between 1,000 and 3,000 sq ft. The aircraft will fly at an altitude of 1,000 ft and a speed of 50-55 miles per hour. Clients will need to buy at least an hour’s flying time.