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Chapter 4.7 Drones - UAVs - for Animal Welfare Observe animal abuse in inaccessible or prohibited outdoor areas by flying a drone (also called a UAV for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) which records action on the ground with stills and video. Supply animal protection organisations with footage and document animal abuse for them as evidence for litigation. "A Melbourne duck shooter had his gun seized and licence suspended after drone spies suspect [his] behaviour." "It was one of a number of incidents recorded by campaigners' cameras..." May 2020. ABC News. www.abc.net.auAbuses that can be spied by drones include illegal sporting, hunting and poaching, and activities normally out of sight, such as at abattoirs and factory farms. See the work of Smart Parks, a drone specialist animal protection group. What are Drones/UAV's? Drones are unmanned aircraft piloted by someone on the ground instead of in the aircraft. Drones are either fixed wing or rotary, ie helicopters. Fixed wing planes are ideal for surveying large areas over land or sea. Helicopters can speed along too, but in addition are able to hover and dodge about in a small area to keep a continuous record of what is happening below. Military drones can be large, expensive, high-flying and long-range aircraft. One of the most well-known is the Predator, a multi-million dollar reconnaissance machine and missile-firing weapon the US military uses on killing missions. But advances in camera, flight and battery technology since the 1990's made possible cheap miniature drones for civilian purposes. A mini-drone may cost you anything from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Add to this the cost of cameras and miscellaneous items.
Mini-drones may be up to about a metre long (three feet) and weigh around two kilograms (four pounds). Some are small enough to sit on the palm of your hand. Flight endurance of drones is about 30 minutes depending on payload weight and you need a clear patch of land for take-off and landing. Helicopter drones are variously multi-rotored: tricopter, quadcopter, hexacopter and octocopter.
Applying Mini-Drones/UAV's Animal protection organisations have considered employing drones to document poaching of big game in Africa, the killing of seals in Namibia, illegal hunting or baiting of hares, badgers and foxes in Britain, and driftnet fishing in the Mediterranean involving whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and birds as well as fish. These organisations include the World Wildlife Fund, PETA, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and League Against Cruel Sports. It is said that drones/UAV's will transform society in many ways. Just a few uses of civilian drones are:
You could be a team of one to fly your drone, but it is easier to be a team of two members: the pilot and the camera operator. The pilot remotely controls the aircraft. The camera operator, standing close by, is responsible for observing and recording pictures. Their jobs are separate because drones are as demanding to fly as full scale aircraft that carry a crew. The drone pilot concentrates on keeping the craft in the air by manipulating a small console. Controls are for the ailerons (for rolling), elevators (for pitching), rudder (for yawing) and throttle (for speed). The pilot can also set an irregular course for the drone to fly automatically using GPS (Geographical Positioning System). Piloting a drone helicopter takes more patience and skill than controlling a fixed wing drone. You have to make the drone helicopter hover, fly upwards and downwards and go forward and backwards. The camera operator controls the mode the camera is in, where the camera points and what it records. The camera transmits images of everything it sees to a laptop monitor the camera operator watches. Fixed wing drones often carry a camera within their fuselage. But an external payload can be attached to the bottom of the airframe of helicopter drones. Cameras should be easily interchangeable, such as for using thermal as well as daylight imaging. Selecting the right cameras for the right jobs is as important as selecting the right drone. What Kind of Drone/UAV? A rotary drone for animal work may be more suitable than a fixed wing drone, depending on your objective. A drone helicopter can loiter in a small area enabling the camera operator to see what is happening when the pilot hovers the drone, flies it backwards or turns it in its own length. However, if you need to cover a lot of ground quickly, you might swap your rotary for a fixed wing drone. Some drones, just like the larger people-carrying aircraft, have aerobatics capabilities (like military fighters). These are for hobbyists who want to fly loops and roles with their drones. You will want a model that is a stable platform (more like an airliner) for taking pictures without blurring images. You will need a drone with extra strength and stability when carrying heavy equipment (payload) and operating in windy and adverse weather. Generally, payload dictates drone size. Flight time shortens as weight increases. Design and build your own mini-drone, buy one complete, or assemble a drone at home from a kit. Assembling a drone kit could take you five to twenty hours. Pick one of the kits that you can assemble without any specialist knowledge or tools. The Law for Drones/UAV's Flying civilian drones is regulated to some extent by law. In the United States, for example, the Federal Aviation Administration restricts flying drones to below 130 metres (400 feet); this is not a handicap for animal welfare work. And the Civil Aviation Authority in Britain reminds you that when flying your drone you must be careful to keep your aircraft a safe distance from people, vehicles and structures, and only fly it in suitable weather. The law in each country will doubtless change to accommodate this new industry as more commercial drones take to the air. Keep up to date with the law, look into buying public liability insurance and insurance for any expensive cameras. Beware Drone/UAV Pitfalls A drawback when flying a miniature drone is that you may not know which way it is facing or even whether it is upside down unless you can see it. Therefore letting the machine out of your sight is perilous and the law in some countries forbid it. Monitors are developing, however, to the point where you can track some drones wherever and however they fly. But generally, spying behind far-off hills and other far away blind spots can be uncertain. If you need to fly long distances over obscured terrain, consider piloting a paramotor and going up in person (see Paramotor Flyer). Some drones will cope better than others in wind and rain, but even if your drone can speed along at a spanking 50 kph (30 mph) and the wind is gusting more than this, then it would be rash to fly it as you could lose control. You just have to wait for better conditions. Beginning Drones/UAV's Flying drones is a serious activity. But for a complete beginner, possibly the best way into it, to fathom whether you like it and gain basic experience, is to start at hobby level. There are several books about getting started with drones as a hobby. Search the Web for information and guides on miniature drones and literally work your way upwards. ›› To Entries & Home |
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