Tech Watch: Africa tests first conservation drones for night flights

From the newsletter

Uninterrupted data collection, primarily effective at night, provides crucial insights into species status, threats, and trends, facilitating targeted and effective conservation strategies across Africa. Experts from the University of Southern Denmark are testing drones in Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy to monitor animal movements and study behaviour during nighttime flights.

• Other deployed technologies in conservation include EarthRanger and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). EarthRanger combines patrol, sensor, and satellite data to monitor wildlife, reduce poaching, enhance response efforts, and support efficient ecosystem management and human-wildlife conflict resolution.

• ANPR employs cameras and Optical Character Recognition to identify vehicle registration plates, assisting conservation efforts by monitoring traffic, detecting unauthorised access, and supporting anti-poaching and environmental protection through real-time data logging and analysis.

More details

• Wild drones are equipped with advanced technologies, such as stereo imaging and thermal cameras. These innovations facilitate detailed data collection without disturbing wildlife, making them superior to traditional monitoring methods. The drones can efficiently detect animal movements, study behaviour, and map areas, particularly during Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights at night.

• "Flying BVLOS at night is crucial because it allows biologists to study wildlife in new, more efficient, and sustainable ways. By mapping animal locations, tracking their movements, and observing their behaviour remotely, we can minimise disturbances while gathering essential data for nature conservation. Many smaller aircraft are not permitted to fly at night, which means there is more airspace available for drones, making nighttime operations even more efficient," explains Associate Professor Kjeld Jensen.

• EarthRanger is a data integration platform that combines multiple sources of information, including data from ranger patrols, remote sensors, and satellite imagery, to provide real-time insights into conservation efforts. The software enables park management teams to access up-to-date information on wildlife and human activities, supporting anti-poaching efforts and monitoring wildlife populations. It helps improve resource management by reducing the need for fuel-intensive field operations, making conservation efforts more cost-effective.

• The system allows park rangers to collect and manage data seamlessly, ensuring accurate reporting and efficient responses to incidents like human-wildlife conflict. By using tracking collars, acoustic sensors, and satellite imagery, EarthRanger offers a comprehensive view of wildlife movements and behaviour. The platform’s mobile app enhances field communication, providing features for mapping specific areas, such as fire damage or crop raids, which contribute to better decision-making and conflict resolution.

• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology utilises high-resolution digital cameras and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to detect and identify vehicle plates in real time. The system follows a structured process: image acquisition, plate detection, character segmentation, and recognition, transforming pixel data into machine-readable alphanumeric text. With capabilities to log vehicle data into databases, this system enhances vehicle tracking and regulation, making it a vital tool in managing vehicular impact in protected areas.

• For conservation, ANPR systems can monitor vehicular traffic in ecologically sensitive zones, supporting anti-poaching, pollution control, and illegal logging surveillance. The system’s ability to interface with databases enables real-time alerts when flagged or unauthorised vehicles enter protected zones. By integrating mobile OCR-based applications with server-side analytics, conservation authorities can remotely log, track, and analyse vehicle movement patterns, enhancing strategic planning for environmental protection and enforcement.

Our take

• Night vision devices in conservation allow researchers to observe wildlife in their natural habitat without detection. This is advantageous as it enables animals to behave naturally, free from the influence of human presence.

• By facilitating this observation, these devices yield more reliable and trustworthy data. This results in higher-quality information that can be used to study the behaviour and ecology of nocturnal species, leading to a deeper understanding of these species and their habitats.

• Moreover, data collected without interference can provide insights into how various environmental factors and human activities may impact these species.