Waimea Slope Stabilization
Waimea Bay, Hawaii
Client Value
The final video gave Vertical Worx a powerful, high-stakes proof point: precision aerial rigging that accomplished in a single day what ground-based methods would have taken weeks to complete. The footage captured the speed, precision, and safety record of the operation — 23 panels, zero incidents — in a way that resonates immediately with contractors and government agencies evaluating aerial solutions for time-sensitive infrastructure work.
Strategically, the project gives Vertical Worx a marquee portfolio asset: a documented, state-contracted emergency response operation that proves their ability to execute complex longline placement in a live public-safety environment. It positions them as the go-to aerial partner for contractors facing tight timelines and difficult terrain across Hawaii's infrastructure and construction sectors.
Challenges
Filming an active longline helicopter operation over a partially closed highway and unstable cliff face presented a unique production challenge. With the aircraft running a 15-minute pick-to-release cycle and moving 23 panels in a single day, CPM had to match the flight crew's operational tempo — repositioning quickly along the highway corridor to capture each drop without ever entering the helicopter's flight path or the active work zone below the cliff.
Coordinating ground and aerial coverage safely around a manned aircraft required constant communication with the Vertical Worx flight crew and Prometheus's site safety team, along with strict deconfliction protocols to keep every camera position clear of the load path. The compressed timeline left no room for re-shoots — each of the 23 drops had to be captured correctly the first time.
About The Video
Waimea Bay is one of Oahu's most iconic and heavily trafficked coastlines, and when Kona Low storms triggered severe cliffside erosion along Kamehameha Highway, the State of Hawaii needed an immediate, high-precision fix. CPM was brought on by Vertical Worx to document the aerial deployment of 23 geomesh netting panels — each up to 1,800 pounds — flown by longline helicopter directly onto the cliff face. The mission was to produce a cinematic promotional video and technical documentation proving Vertical Worx's precision load-placement capability under a compressed public-safety timeline. This project serves as a proof of performance for executing complex, high-stakes aerial rigging work in a live, high-visibility environment.
