Has anybody ever tried attaching a survey tailstinger on a 185 or any tai dragger for that matter? I reckon if set at the right angle it could work. The tail is already on the ground so in theory it shouldnt get any closer to the dirt unless someone reefs it back and gets the nose gear off first.
Not to my knowledge on a 185 though there has been some work done on Airtractors and the like.
In the late 80's GeoEX ( a Sth Aust company) ran a couple of 180's towing an underslung bird.
As you point out, there's no real reason it wouldn't work on a 180/185 other than being a bit vulnerable with uneven ground unless it was canted up fairly seriously.