Helicopter Crane Hire in Queensland
One aircraft, about 20 minutes on site, no road closure. We place loads where a mobile crane cannot be set, cannot reach, or takes 6 to 8 hours to justify.
The problem
Why this lift is hard the conventional way
A road crane has to be driven in, set up on a hard stand, levelled and dismantled before a single load moves. That is typically 6 to 8 hours on site before or after the pick. On half the sites in Queensland that is either impossible or costs more than the lift itself.
- A road crane needs a hard stand, permits and a set up: typically 6 to 8 hours on site.
- Traffic management, road closures and permits can exceed the crane hire.
- Boom reach and ground bearing rule out rooftops, ridgelines and soft ground.
- An AS350 lift is typically about 20 minutes of flight time on site once loads are staged.
How we do it
Aircraft, rigging, crew and duration
- Aircraft
- AS350, working maximum 800 kg on the hook
- Rigging method
- Certified long line, 30 to 60 m, with remote hook and load cell
- Crew
- Pilot, loadmaster, two ground riggers, ground controller
- Typical duration
- About 20 minutes of flight time on site for most single-lift tasks
- Desktop feasibility from your load list and site coordinates.
- Site recon: approach, escape path, ground crew positions, exclusion zone.
- JSA, CASA approvals and landowner or council notifications lodged.
- Lift day: hot refuel on standby, loads pre-rigged, cycle times under five minutes.
Typical loads
What we lift, what it weighs, what it takes
| Item | Weight range | Aircraft | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palletised materials | 300–650 kg | AS350 | 4 min/cycle |
| Rooftop plant unit | 400–780 kg | AS350 | 8 min |
| Structural steel bundle | 350–700 kg | AS350 | 6 min |
| Small tank or vessel section | 300–600 kg | AS350 | 8 min |
Indicative only. Working payload reduces with radius, temperature and density altitude; every load is confirmed against the day's conditions.
Get your price range in a minute
Tell us the load and the site. You see an indicative range before we ask for your details. From $14,000 plus GST.
Request a liftRelated work
Lifts we have flown
480 kg
Twelve rooftop units, CBD tower
No crane standing available on a one-way street. Twelve units placed in a single 96-minute window against a road crane quote of 7 hours for set up alone.
Brisbane · AS350
650 kg
Ridge-top comms shelter, staged delivery
Access track washed out. Shelter panels, generator and fuel cell split into six loads and flown in one mobilisation.
Toowoomba & Darling Downs · AS350
740 kg
Island resort plant swap
Barge window missed by weather. Old and new chillers exchanged over water in about 20 minutes of flight time.
Moreton Bay & Islands · AS350
Site requirements
What you need ready on the day
- A landing or hover area clear of powerlines and loose material.
- Exclusion zone under the flight path, with your own site marshals.
- Loads pre-rigged or available for our riggers on arrival.
- Nominated site contact on the aviation radio or phone for the duration.
- Confirmation of neighbouring property notifications where required.
Cost factors
What moves the number
Aircraft type
The AS350 covers loads up to 800 kg, which suits the great majority of lifts we quote.
Mobilisation distance
Ferry time from the Brisbane base is billed each way.
Lift count
Cycles amortise the base fee, twenty lifts cost far less per lift than one.
Site complexity
CBD rooftops and over-water work carry recon, permits and longer cycles.
Questions
Helicopter crane hire, frequently asked
Coverage
Where we fly this work
We provide helicopter crane hire across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba & Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Rockhampton & Capricorn Coast, Mackay & Whitsundays, Townsville, Cairns & Far North Queensland, Mount Isa & North West Queensland, Moreton Bay & Islands and everywhere else in Queensland, mobilising from 18 min in Brisbane to 5.8 hours in the North West.
Related services
Ready to book a lift?
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