The WRCCRF Canopy Crane

The canopy crane is a Liebherr 550 HC, freestanding tower crane with a load jib extension purchased from Morrow Crane Company, Inc.,
of Salem, Oregon. Crane nomenclature includes tower, operator's cab, load jib, counterweight jib, trolley and a
suspended personnel basket (gondola) to carry personnel into the canopy.

Crane
Height to mast ~ 285 ft (86.7 m)
Load jib height ~ 244 ft (73.2 m)
Load jib max reach ~ 279 ft (85.0 m)
Max load at max reach ~ 4123 lbs
Max load <125 ft reach ~ 14,330 lbs 

Gondola (8 person)
Cage height ~ 7.3 ft
Floor ~ 9 x 4.3 ft
Max load ~ 2002 lbs

The crane uses a polar-style coordinate system for
maneuvering the gondola in three dimensions throughout
the forest canopy: Trolley - horizontal distance (radius) from
the tower to the gondola, Hook - vertical distance between
maximum lift of 221.4 ft ( 67.5 m) and gondola hand rail, and
Swing - 360 degree azimuth of the load jib. Actual heights are
achieved by subtracting the hook distance from maximum lift
and correcting for ground topography. This coordinate system
allows researchers to return precisely to the same branch or
even to the same open space for repeated measurements
during day or night.

At maximum lift and reach the canopy crane inscribes a cylindrical
volume of over 54 million cubic feet (1.5 million cubic meters).
Within this "crane circle" there are over 300 trees accessible
via the gondola.