Today, wildlife decline and habitat loss is a global problem. In terms of wildlife protection, monitoring is an important means. As an efficient, flexible and controllable aviation platform, drones are regarded by more and more people as one of the important tools for wildlife monitoring.
This article will introduce the application of drones in wildlife monitoring, discuss the types of drones used to track animals, and explore the role of drones in wildlife monitoring using the Autel Robotics 640t thermal imaging drone as an example.
1. How can drones help with wildlife monitoring?
Drones can realize functions such as high-definition shooting, positioning, and counting of wild animals by carrying various sensors and cameras. In terms of wildlife protection, drones can be used in the following ways:
Wildlife census: Drones can cover a large geographical area, equipped with high-resolution cameras or thermal imaging equipment, to monitor and census wild animals. At the same time, drones can obtain more detailed and accurate information, such as animal numbers, habitats, migration paths, etc., without affecting animal behavior.
Capturing animal forms: Drones can capture animal forms and characteristics through high-definition cameras, thereby helping to identify the differences between different species, and can track and record animal migration paths and activity trajectories.
Spotting Illegal Hunting and Poaching: Illegal hunting and poaching are widespread problems in many game reserves. Drones can look down from a high altitude and capture some non-conscious behaviors. Provide clues to relevant personnel or strengthen management to reduce the incidence of wild animal hunting and poaching.
2. Types of drones used to track animals
Fixed-wing Drones: Fixed-wing Drones are usually fast and have long endurance, and can cover large geographic areas, which can help track wildlife in motion. Fixed-wing drones can also carry multiple sensors, including LIDAR (lidar system), thermal imaging and multispectral cameras, etc., which enhance the capabilities of drones in wildlife monitoring.
Rotary Wing Drones: Rotary wing drones are often more maneuverable and can hover or track animals in confined spaces. Rotor-wing drones can also monitor animal behavior by carrying various sensors, for example, photographing whale migration clusters from high altitude, recording cheetah hunting, etc.
3. Application of Autel Robotics 640t Thermal Imaging Drone in Wildlife Monitoring
Autel Robotics 640t thermal imaging drone is a customized solution specially designed for drone detection. It is equipped with a set of modern and professional thermal imaging equipment, which can reflect surface temperature maps and infrared spectral images. And provide data analysis and visualization solutions. Its advantages include the following:
Thermal imaging technology: Thermal imaging technology can overlook wildlife areas from a high altitude and capture low-calorie animal images, which is especially useful for locating hard-to-see wildlife. In addition, thermal imaging technology can also help drones avoid hotter areas to ensure flight safety and accuracy.
High-definition video capture: The high-definition camera of the Autel Robotics 640t thermal imaging drone can take high-resolution photos and videos, which is helpful for capturing migratory animals, observing animal activities and animal habitats.
Intelligent autonomous flight: Autel Robotics 640t thermal imaging drone can fly autonomously according to a pre-set route, thus improving monitoring efficiency and data collection accuracy.
Summarize
Drone technology has become an important tool in wildlife conservation, most notably in its applications for monitoring and protecting wildlife. With the continuous advancement of technology, the role of drones in wildlife protection and environmental monitoring will become more and more important. The emergence of the Autel Robotics 640t thermal imaging drone has further enhanced the drone's wildlife monitoring capabilities and injected new vitality into wildlife protection.