Abstract: The present document describes a device for clearing an area around an elevated object. The device comprises: a main frame; a blower device operably mounted on the main frame for blowing high flow air towards the area around the elevated object; and a sweeping device operably mounted to and extending from the main frame for clearing the area around the elevated object. The present document further describes a method for clearing the area around an elevated object.

Abstract: The panoramic camera according to the invention has a housing having first and second sections, coaxial with a rotation axis. The second section can be driven in rotation about the axis with respect to the first section by a motor connected to a gear. A lens is mounted on the second section of the housing and is both perpendicular and radial to the axis. A linear CCD array is placed at the focal point of the lens in order to capture the images transmitted by the lens. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the CCD array to convert the analog signal generated by the CCD array into digital information. The digital information is stored on a hard disk drive, and includes data corresponding to the azimuth of the camera. Finally, a micro-computer controls the rotation of the housing, sends a control signal to the analog-to-digital converter to digitize the image and sends a control signal to the hard disk drive to save the digital information generated by the converter.