The System - Air Shepherd

THE SYSTEM

1. Drone Aircraft

Air Shepherd is drone agnostic – we want the best aircraft that we can find for the job at hand. Drone design is advancing very quickly so we are constantly evaluating different platforms and we have designed our approach to be adaptable to the most capable emerging technology.

Currently, based on testing in various environments, our partners in South Africa fly custom designed UAV’s that include fixed wing and multi-rotor airframes of varying capability.

All drones are electric and have about a two hour operating cycle. Advances in battery technology are rapidly increasing the possibilities for extending these applications.

2. Airborne Sensors

Our airplanes carry powerful control systems and sensors that give them extraordinary capabilities that are ideal for the anti-poaching mission.

Every drone has a solid-state inertial system that maintains its flying attitude, regardless of winds, etc. Each has an internal GPS receiver that tells the aircraft where it is (and where the cameras are looking) at all times. At least two zooming camera systems are carried on gyro-stabilized gimbals, which keep the cameras pointing at the same location, regardless of bumpy air or heading changes. One camera is designed for visible light and is operated during the daytime; the other is an infrared sensing device that provides thermal imaging during hours of darkness.

On-board datalink communications keep the aircraft in touch with the Ground Control System, sending navigation, piloting and camera operation instructions up to the aircraft and downlinking positional and live video streams from the camera systems. The communications links are encrypted for security.

3. Aerial Command Center

Only technologically sophisticated capabilities can provide the mobility and discrimination to effectively determine what is really going on in the African bush at night. The mobile command center is a support vehicle which includes:

Remote controlled aircraft and avionics
A variety of mounted cameras to accommodate day and night (infrared) surveillance
Accessories such as antennae, batteries and trackers
Radio and communication systems
Support services such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping, database capacity and recording software
Monitoring equipment and software
Spare parts and maintenance tools
Support services for the crew such as tents, beds, rations, etc.

4. Highly Trained Operators

The field crew includes at least a pilot and a systems operator, both of whom are highly trained in these specialized operations. The pilot is responsible for all of the physical aspects of the drone – launching, recovering, navigation, maintenance, etc. The systems operator monitors the streaming video, analyzing what is happening in the area where the aircraft is flying, communicating with rangers, recording data feeds, etc. Operating these aircraft effectively requires four months of training before individual crew members can be sent into the field on their own.