What Helicopter Resources does

Helicopter Resources is a privately held, family-owned Australian helicopter operator headquartered at Cambridge Airport near Hobart, Tasmania, founded in 1970 and recognised as the oldest continually operating helicopter company in Australia. The company operates an 11-aircraft fleet comprising four Airbus H125s (the largest such fleet in Tasmania), two Airbus AS350B2s, four Kawasaki BK117s deployed under exclusive contract to the Australian Antarctic Program, and one Sikorsky S70C Black Hawk, the heaviest-lift helicopter available in Tasmania. All aircraft are fitted with TracPlus real-time satellite tracking and safety management systems, with additional capabilities including thermal imaging, dual-redundancy hydraulics, radar altimeters, and a broad suite of certified external-load equipment. Service lines span helicopter charter and passenger transport, external load and long-line lifting, bushfire operations, film and aerial photography, remote-area access (including the only approved non-emergency hover-exit capability in Tasmania), forestry operations, transfers and corporate events, and Antarctic logistics support.

The company's business model is built on direct B2B and government sales of helicopter hours, sold on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go basis with pricing tailored to aircraft type, mission duration, and complexity. It is also an ASQA-registered training organisation (RTO code 45320) delivering nationally recognised competency-based training in aviation ground safety, external load operations, hover-exit operations, and aircraft refuelling, generating an additional recurring revenue stream. Customers include BHP, Rio Tinto, and Telstra (for which BARS registration is a prerequisite), the Australian Antarctic Program and six other national Antarctic programs, Tasmanian Fire Agencies, conservation projects (Macquarie Island and Lord Howe Island eradications), and various film productions. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, and ISO 14001:2015 certifications and is the only BARS-registered helicopter operator in Tasmania, a meaningful regulatory barrier against new entrants targeting enterprise resource-sector work. Revenue is not disclosed and the company has no external investors, consistent with its family-owned status and 55-year operating history.

Name

Helicopter Resources

Legal name

Helicopter Resources

Website

https://helicopterresources.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Helicopter Resources is a family-owned Australian helicopter operator based in Cambridge, Tasmania, founded in 1970, serving enterprise resource clients, government agencies, and Antarctic programs with charter, lifting, firefighting, film, and RTO training services across an 11-aircraft fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Charter and Aerial Work Services

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190), Flight Training (611512)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Helicopter Passenger Services (TLAFAAAE)

Keywords

• Helicopter charter services
• Aerial work operations
• External load lifting
• Aerial firefighting
• Aviation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Helicopter Charter Services: Passenger transport and aerial work operations throughout Tasmania including external load operations, fire support, and specialized services.
2. Specialized Aerial Services: Aerial work operations including fire fighting, forestry operations, film and photography, aerial baiting, remote area access, and Antarctica operations.
3. RTO Training Services: Nationally recognized training delivered at Cambridge base on 'on demand' basis, generally during winter period. Provides qualifications in helicopter operations safety, external load-lift operations, hover-exit operations, and aircraft refueling.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Helicopter Resources operates a fleet of 11 helicopters from Cambridge Airport in Tasmania, providing charter passenger transport, external load/lifting operations, aerial fire support, film and photography services, remote area access, forestry operations, aerial baiting, and Antarctic aviation support. It also runs an ASQA-registered training organisation (RTO code 45320) delivering nationally recognised competency-based aviation training.

Product overview

Helicopter Resources is an Australian helicopter services company operating since 1970, offering a diverse fleet of 11 helicopters (4 Airbus H125, 2 Airbus AS350B2, 4 Kawasaki BK117, 1 Sikorsky S70C Black Hawk) for charter and aerial work. The product portfolio comprises distinct service lines — Helicopter Lifting Services (external load, long-line lifting), Fire Operations (water bombing, reconnaissance), Remote Area Access (including hover-exit operations), Forestry Operations, Film/Photography, Transfers/Tours/Corporate Events, Aerial Baiting, and Antarctica Operations — supported by a dedicated ASQA-registered RTO training division delivering competency-based training in aviation ground operations. The company is not a software platform; its offerings are aviation service delivery and training, with no API or SaaS components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Helicopter Lifting Services Turnkey helicopter lifting and external load services for clients requiring heavy equipment placement in difficult or inaccessible terrain. Includes long-line lifting, precision load placement, and certified equipment (remote cargo hooks, auto-loc, swivel hooks, cargo nets). Targeted at mining, construction, infrastructure, and conservation clients.
• Fire Operations Bushfire support services including water bombing with Bambi Buckets and simplex belly tanks, fire reconnaissance and mapping (thermal imaging), crew transport, controlled burning, and logistics support. Meets NAFC equipment standards. Targeted at Tasmanian Fire Agencies and other government firefighting bodies.
• Remote Area Access Remote area access services including hover-exit operations for non-emergency personnel (the only Tasmania-approved provider), lighthouse and communication infrastructure maintenance, and scientific expedition support. Targeted at conservation agencies, infrastructure operators, and scientific programs.
• Forestry Operations Forestry sector services including wedge tail eagle nest searching, burning operations, aerial drip torch burning, seeding with Differential GPS, and heli logging for high-value timber extraction. Targeted at forestry agencies including Sustainable Timbers Tasmania and Forestry Practices Authority.
• Film, Television and Aerial Photography Aerial film and photography services including camera and on-screen aircraft, location scouting, logistics support, CASA-approved low-level operations, and accommodation of camera mounts including GSS, Cineflex, and Shotover systems. Targeted at film and television productions.
• Transfers, Tours and Corporate Events Bespoke helicopter transfers, tours, and corporate event transport including transfers to lodges and resorts, and large group charters of up to 44 passengers across 7 aircraft in a single airlift. Targeted at high-end tourism operators, resort and lodge clients, and corporate event planners.
• Aerial Baiting Aerial baiting project services including large-scale island pest eradication projects (Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project; Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project). Targeted at government conservation agencies and environmental management programs.
• Antarctica Operations Antarctic aviation operations with 40+ years and 35,000+ hours of experience supporting ship-based science, resupply voyages, and station or remote field camp logistics for multiple nations' Antarctic programs. Targeted at national Antarctic programs (Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, China, Pakistan).
• Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Training ASQA Registered Training Organisation (RTO code 45320) delivering nationally recognised competency-based training at the Cambridge base, including Work Safely Around Aircraft (PUAFIR017), Conduct External Load-Lift Operations (AVIY0065), Hover-Exit Operations (PUAFIR016), and Aircraft Refueling (AVIW0012). Delivered on demand, generally during winter period. Targeted at aviation ground crew and operations personnel.
• Passenger Charter Transport Passenger charter transport to remote work sites and destinations throughout Tasmania and Antarctica. Targeted at resource and mining companies, government agencies, and tourism clients needing personnel transport to remote or difficult-to-access locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Flown over 10,000 loads building walking tracks including 3 Capes and South Coast Walking Track
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Aerial Cinematography SpecialistssupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with aerial cinematography specialists to provide access to camera systems including GSS, Cineflex and Shotover gimbal options for film and photography operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PHI Aviation: Global helicopter services company serving offshore energy, government, and air medical markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering similar charter and specialized mission services to enterprise and government customers.
• CHC Helicopter: Global helicopter services operator with Australian operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering charter and specialized aerial work across mining, government and offshore segments that overlap with Helicopter Resources' portfolio.
• Bristow Helicopters Australia: Global helicopter operator with Australian presence, focused on offshore, search and rescue, and government aviation services. Comparable as a broader incumbent that competes for similar enterprise and government aviation contracts.

Direct peers

• Toll Aviation: Australian aviation services provider offering charter, freight, and specialist helicopter operations. Comparable business model and customer profile to Helicopter Resources, including remote-site logistics and government contracts.
• Skytraders: Australian operator specializing in Antarctic resupply flights and remote-area aviation. Highly comparable to Helicopter Resources' Antarctic and remote-area access service lines, with overlapping customer base in national Antarctic programs.
• Babcock Mission Critical Services Australasia: Australia's largest helicopter operator providing charter, emergency medical, search and rescue, and aerial work services. Directly comparable to Helicopter Resources across enterprise/government charter, fire support, and aerial work verticals.
• Microflite: Melbourne-based helicopter charter and tourism operator with a comparable fleet of light helicopters serving corporate, tourism, and event verticals. Closely aligned business model to Helicopter Resources' charter and corporate events line.
• HeliSpirit: Victorian helicopter operator providing charter, tourism, and aerial work services. Comparable as a regional Australian charter peer with similar corporate events, transfers, and bespoke tour offerings.

Others

• Era Helicopters (Bristow era): Helicopter operator serving energy, utility and infrastructure customers globally with similar aerial work capabilities. Comparable in heavy-lift and utility mission profile relevant to Helicopter Resources' lifting and Black Hawk services.

Emerging players

• CareFlight: Australian aero-medical and retrieval service operating rotary-wing aircraft. Partially overlapping as an operator using helicopters for government-contracted critical missions, though its core focus is medical retrieval rather than charter/aerial work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helicopter-resources

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helicopter Resources