Entry into confined spaces carries its share of risks. It’s a practice that should be avoided if possible. CUES helps make avoiding those situations a reality with its advanced model lightweight, portable, HD wireless video inspection pole camera, the QZ3 Advanced.

The camera is designed to allow users to perform swift inspections and surveys of pipelines, wet wells, manholes, sewer treatment plants, steam generators, tanks, vessels and other areas that are difficult to reach from 6 to 72 inches in diameter. It can also be used to locate lateral services or to identify blockages at manholes, access ports or other entry points without entering the line or structure. Added features over the basic model include motorized height and tilt, in addition to laser distance measurements and other benefits, according to Pierre Mikhail, director of the CUES Manhole Inspection Division.

“Video recordings are stored in the camera head to avoid lower-quality videos through weak Wi-Fi signals to the tablet,” he says. “Motorized height control and an optional panning motor give the QZ3 Advanced many unique features.”

The camera is mounted on a lightweight, telescopic carbon fiber pole that can extend up to 24 feet (with an optional 34-foot pole available). The 1080p camera features a 360:1 zoom with built-in image stabilization, automatic focus, distance-to-defect measurement, and self-contained waterproof M.A.P. lighting, including six LED spotlights, working in pairs and focused at different lengths, to provide enhanced, detailed viewing of cracks, breaks, pipe separations, scale and various defect conditions. It also includes two diffused flood LED lights for evenly lit manhole inspections.

Several options are available to enhance the utility of the QZ3 Advanced, including a dual-purpose bipod/tripod support, ruggedized tablet, tablet holders for mounting to the pole or as a wearable harness, pole mounted Wi-Fi repeater to extend range up to 150 feet from the manhole, and a panning accessory designed for use with the SPiDER scanner’s tripod or with truck-mounted deployment systems, enabling the QZ3 Advanced to have 360-degree panning, in addition to its standard plus/minus 30-degree tilt for the precise positioning especially useful for pipeline inspections.

“We invested three years of research and development into this product,” Mikhail says. “The sewer and storm maintenance industry is always looking for inexpensive tools to quickly perform preliminary documentation of manholes and pipelines before investing in more expensive cleaning and CCTV inspection methods.” 800-327-7791; www.cuesinc.com