Drones are not merely limited to the skies, with sophisticated unmanned vehicles now also able to take to the water - sailing the globe automatically for months at a time and gathering data on the health of our seas and oceans.
Based out of San Francisco, Saildrone is a maritime technology company which aims to provide high-tech automated solutions for marine research and commercial activity. The patented design behind their titular product was originally devised for something quite other than ocean surveying: breaking the land speed record. However, CEO Richard Jenkins then discovered his knowledge in aerodynamics and carbon composite structures could be applied to new frontiers.
The saildrone is technically a USV - unmanned surface vehicle - comprising a seven-metre long hull and 5-metre tall sail. Weighing in at around 750 kilograms, it is substantially larger and heavier than most commercial drones, including those used on the water. Its size, however, allows it to carry an extensive suite of scientific and monitoring equipment which can measure up to fifteen different metrics, including temperature, ocean salinity, ocean currents, fish biomass and carbon.
The saildrone itself is propelled by wind power and can cover up to 150 kilometres a day in ideal conditions. Generally, a saildrone can carry out missions for up to around 12 months. During this time, they navigate autonomously, while being in constant connection with human supervisors via satellite.
The technology has the potential to radically alter the traditional means of gathering in situ data regarding our seas and oceans. Previously, researchers had to rely on sensors, often stationary, to record only a small number of metrics. Alternatively, they could use research vessels, which come with all the costs and complications of staffing, supply and maintenance. Saildrone COO Sebastien de Halleux told RESET:
“Research vessels and buoys are expensive to deploy and maintain, and there aren’t enough of them. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has only 16 research vessels and there are fewer than 200 offshore buoys globally. Saildrones are less expensive to operate than research vessels and, because they are powered by wind and solar energy, they are virtually silent while operating so they do not disturb the environment they are surveying.”
The saildrones, which can operate via pre-defined parameters and waypoints, have also been built to survive some of the harshest ocean conditions, which would otherwise be dangerous or impractical for long-term manned research missions.
As well as environmental measuring, saildrones have also been used to track and monitor the size and health of various fish populations, such as Alaskan pollock. This has mostly been conducted in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees regulations on sustainable fishing. According to Saildrone, this information can be used to assess the impact of fishing on various species, as well as advise in the creation of protected areas.
More recently, Saildrone has also been trialled by the US Coast Guard in the field of marine domain awareness. The tools on the saildrone can be used for defence and security purposes, including communications and vessel tracking.
Although this could ultimately have military applications, the tools could also provide some environmental protections, including detecting illegal fishing, oil spills and intrusions into protected areas by unsuitable watercraft.
Much of Saildrone’s previous scientific missions have been attached to testing and proving the concept of an autonomous research vessel. However, saildrones have already circumnavigated the Antarctic, taken carbon measurements, monitored weather systems in Japan and tracked the movement and behaviour of fur seals.
In particular, saildrones could fill in the gaps of previous attempts to measure ocean carbon and temperature which often lacked the endurance on an unmanned device. Although satellites have recently been experimented with in these fields, they do have limitations. Often they can only focus in-depth on a small area of the ocean’s surface, while they often lack spatial and temporal resolution. Cloud cover and other weather can also interrupt signals and measurements. However, as de Halleux explains:
“The saildrone is not a replacement for these existing tools, but rather a complementary tool that will cost-effectively expand the scope of temporal and spatial ocean observation. Saildrones, along with these existing methods, all play an important role in the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS). Together they form a new 'observational stack': satellites for the big picture from space, underwater gliders for the deep ocean, and Saildrones for surface monitoring looking both up at the atmosphere and down at the seabed.”
In July, a saildrone completed another long distance trial, covering the 15,015 nautical miles from Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean to Trieste on the Mediterreanean Coast in 274 days. In the future, the company has ambitious plans. It hopes to develop a fleet of around 1,000 saildrones which will then survey all of the world’s seas and oceans. De Halleux explained this project - The Quantified Planet - further:
“Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, and yet they are largely unexplored and undersampled due to the cost and difficulty of collecting in situ data in a marine environment. The Quantified Planet is a vision for how we can dramatically increase in situ data collection. If the global ocean was to be divided into six-by-six-degree squares, you’d get about 1,000 squares. Saildrone’s goal is to continually deploy one vehicle in each of those squares to give us better insights into the planetary systems affecting humanity.”
Currently, around 100 saildrones have been used across the world, the progress of which can be tracked and explored on Saildrone’s website.
" ["post_title"]=> string(84) "Saildrone: The Unmanned Research Drones Looking to Survey Every Square Mile of Ocean" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(237) "Drones are not merely limited to the skies, with sophisticated unmanned vehicles now also able to take to the water - sailing the globe automatically for months at a time and gathering data on the health of our seas and oceans.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(82) "saildrone-unmanned-research-drones-looking-survey-every-square-mile-ocean-09222020" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-06-21 10:38:28" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-06-21 10:38:28" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(105) "http://reset.org/blog/saildrone-unmanned-research-drones-looking-survey-every-square-mile-ocean-09222020/" ["menu_order"]=> int(524) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#6718 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(36701) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "9" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-08-31 02:00:43" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-08-31 02:00:43" ["post_content"]=> string(3686) "Hovering low over the ground and shooting mangrove seeds into the water, drones may become a common sight in Myanmar by the end of the year. It's part of a reforestation project that aims to restore a natural ecosystem that is beneficial to wildlife, the environment and the local population.In the Irrawaddy Delta in the south of Myanmar, mangrove forests have been significantly depleted - often cut down so that people can use the area to plant rice, farm for prawns and collect palm oil. But mangroves have an important role to play in the ecosystem of the delta. As well as filtering the water, they also provide safe areas for fish and other marine life to live and grow, and capture large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. And they protect coastal communities from flooding too, by naturally stabilising shorelines. It's thought that the cyclone that hit Myanmar in 2008 would have caused far less damage and loss of life if the Delta hadn't lost half of its mangrove area.People are aware that reforestation is needed, and moves have already been made to begin the process. Inhabitants of the Delta have so far planted 2.7 million mangrove trees by hand - an elaborate and time-consuming process.But soon their reforestation efforts will be receiving a boost from a company called BioCarbon Engineering. Starting in September of 2017, they plan to use drones to plant one million mangrove trees over an area of 250 hectares. Using drones that can plant up to 100,000 trees a day, they could ultimately be able to plant up to a billion trees in the area.
First a mapping drone sets out to fly over the area at a height of 100 metres, assessing the topography and the quality of the ground. The data collected is then analysed to work out the best places to plant. After that, a second swarm of drones is responsible for carrying out the planting, dropping the seeds in the places set out in the plan. Flying at very low levels, the drones shoot the seeds - which are held in special little seed pods - into the ground. Locals are employed to collect the seeds and place them in the seed pods as well as take care of the young plants as they grow. Each drone pilot can control up to six individual drones, planting a total of 100,000 new trees a day.The project is one of the winners of the BridgeBuilder Challenge 2017, which has netted them 242,800 USD to support their work - from the planting stage right up to monitoring and assessing the success of the project.This article is a translation by Marisa Pettit of the original article which appeared on RESET's German-language site." ["post_title"]=> string(68) "The Drones Soon to be Planting 100,000 Mangroves Each Day in Myanmar" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(295) "Hovering low over the ground and shooting mangrove seeds into the water, drones may become a common sight in Myanmar by the end of the year. It's part of a reforestation project that aims to restore a natural ecosystem that is beneficial to wildlife, the environment and the local population." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(65) "tree-planting-drones-soon-be-restoring-mangroves-myanmar-08292017" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-15 08:53:21" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-15 08:53:21" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(88) "http://reset.org/blog/tree-planting-drones-soon-be-restoring-mangroves-myanmar-08292017/" ["menu_order"]=> int(1767) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(WP_Post)#6719 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(35811) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "374" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-02-16 03:00:14" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-02-16 03:00:14" ["post_content"]=> string(3367) "
Drones can be useful to deliver food or medical supplies to remote areas, but it is sometimes problematic to retrieve them after drop-off. APSARA could be the solution: the one-way drone is made of biodegradable material and can simply decompose after use.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly called drones, are increasingly part of our daily lives. They can take breathtaking aerial shots, film wedding videos or even dance and light up as an american Flag during Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show. But beyond their artistic value, they can also make important humanitarian contributions such as helping refugees arriving by boat or delivering medical supplies.
One of the problems when using drones for emergency release is the rate of return. Very often drones can get damaged, stolen or lost, which leads to high replacement costs in addition to the pollution caused by drones that were left behind.
A group of self-described “mischievous scientists, practical dreamers” from San Franscisco may have found a solution. The Otherlab team received funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and designed cardboard airplanes that can be filled with supplies. The gliders are called Aerial Platform Supporting Autonomous Resupply Actions, or simply APSARA.
APSARA gliders are made of cheap materials and suitable to carry different kinds of products needed for humanitarian support, from blood and vaccines to batteries. The small drones can be programmed with GPS coordinates and dropped from an airplane.
© Otherlab The APSARA gliders are made of heavy-duty cardboard and can be re-used. However, if they cannot be retrieved it is not a problem because they are biodegradable, and they are extremely cheap to make. The Otherlab team is even studying the possibility of using cardboard impregnated with fungal spores to accelerate the decomposition of abandoned drones. As for the electronics inside of the gliders, DARPA is testing ways to have them dissolve after landing.
ASPARA gliders could be a breakthrough in disaster relief, allowing for the quick distribution of supplies in remote areas without littering the area with broken drones or parachutes.
You can see an APSARA glider in action in the video below:
" ["post_title"]=> string(40) "APSARA: the Evolution of the Paper Plane" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(263) "Drones can be useful to deliver food or medical supplies to remote areas, but it is sometimes problematic to retrieve them after drop-off. APSARA could be the solution: the one-way drone is made of biodegradable material and can simply decompose after use.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(37) "apsara-evolution-paper-plane-02152017" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:32:37" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:32:37" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(60) "http://reset.org/blog/apsara-evolution-paper-plane-02152017/" ["menu_order"]=> int(1978) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(WP_Post)#6720 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(35724) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "309" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-01-23 03:00:07" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-01-23 03:00:07" ["post_content"]=> string(3874) "The Mine Kafon Foundation is testing out low-cost ways of safely detecting and detonating landmines.
An estimated 110 million landmines are buried in about 60 countries around the world. According to CARE, the worst-affected countries are Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Iraq and Laos. Presence of landmines affects not only people’s safety, but also their land rights. Landmine clearance is extremely precarious work, and the caution used to carry this out coupled with the painstaking task of detecting where landmines are buried can mean it can take years to clear an area of landmines.
The Dutch-based Mine Kafon Foundation is developing cost-effective ways to find and trigger landmines in a way that eliminates the need for people to do it themselves.
The original Mine Kafon devices are large spherical, tumbleweed-shaped objects featuring about 70 bamboo and rubber legs attached to a central unit that houses a GPS system to track and map where landmines have been discovered. They are light enough to be pushed around by the wind but heavy enough to trigger any landmines they roll over. Each unit can handle up to four blasts and costs less than 40 USD to build.
The brains behind the project is Afghan designer Massoud Hassani. The design of the product is based on wind-powered toys that Hassani would chase around as a kid and first came about in 2011 when he was developing his graduation project while studying at the Design Academy Eindhoven.
Mine Kafon | Callum Cooper from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.
The ingenious design has seen the project collect a slew of accolades, and it was exhibited at Milan Design Week and in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. But being displayed in a museum is not Mine Kafon’s end goal, and the team has spent years researching, developing and testing the product to be able to get it out into the field. The Mine Kafon concept has evolved from a ground-based application to an airbourne one; currently Hassani and his brother Mahmud are tinkering with a drone prototype that is able to scan for, detect and detonate landmines from the air (each unit would cost about 1,100 USD).
In order to get the drones into the field, the team launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2016. Mine Kafon Foundation reached its initial fundraising goal of 70,000 USD in just 10 days – now the goal has been expanded so that the team can test hydrogen cell batteries in the drones.
To contribute to the Kickstarter campaign, click here or head to the Mine Kafon Foundation’s website to learn more about the initiative.
" ["post_title"]=> string(66) "GPS-equipped 'Tumbleweeds' and Drones Could Aid Landmine Clearance" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(107) "The Mine Kafon Foundation is testing out low-cost ways of safely detecting and detonating landmines.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(73) "gps-equipped-tumbleweeds-and-drones-could-aid-landmine-clearance-01182017" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:32:49" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:32:49" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(96) "http://reset.org/blog/gps-equipped-tumbleweeds-and-drones-could-aid-landmine-clearance-01182017/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2006) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(WP_Post)#6721 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(34857) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "309" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2016-07-25 02:00:12" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2016-07-25 02:00:12" ["post_content"]=> string(2536) "Authorities in the US want to dispense sweet peanut butter pellets from drones in a bid to vaccinate and protect one of North America’s most critically-endangered critters and its food source.
Last summer, we published an entire editorial series on how drone technology is being put to use towards environmental and social causes and there are oodles of projects out there using unmanned aerial vehicles to better the planet, its people and its furry, four-legged inhabitants. Recently, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed using drone technology to help save prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets from extinction in North America.
These animals have been up against it ever since rats and fleas made it to the US courtesy of international shipping routes. Ensuing habitat destruction, shooting and development have also played a role in these species’ dwindling numbers so much so that by 1987, there were only 18 black-footed ferrets left. Conservation measures have helped boost those numbers back up to 300 but they, along with their main food source, prairie dogs, are under threat of being wiped out by the flea-borne sylvatic plague. Vaccinating prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets against this disease is no easy task given they are spread out over large areas and, in the latter’s case, are nocturnal creatures.
Instead of bringing the vaccine to these animals, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is looking to bring the animals to the vaccine. How? In what sounds like every sweet-toothed person’s dream scenario, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently looking into dispensing peanut butter pellets laced with a vaccine against the disease from drones. The initiative would see pellet dispensers attached to fixed-wing drones that would then fly over areas where the animals are found and shoot pellets out every 30 feet.
Trials in small areas of land have been carried out minus drones and have resulted in 75 to 90 per cent of prairie dogs taking the bait. By using drones, the team hopes to cover two acres a minute. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently working with a contractor to design a drone that fits their needs and is hoping to test out the technology later this year.
" ["post_title"]=> string(50) "Drones Will Rain Candy to Save Black-Footed Ferret" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(201) "Authorities in the US want to dispense sweet peanut butter pellets from drones in a bid to vaccinate and protect one of North America’s most critically-endangered critters and its food source.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(51) "drones-rain-candy-save-black-footed-ferret-07182016" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:29:02" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:29:02" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(74) "http://reset.org/blog/drones-rain-candy-save-black-footed-ferret-07182016/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2225) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [5]=> object(WP_Post)#6722 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(34100) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "309" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2016-02-23 03:00:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2016-02-23 03:00:29" ["post_content"]=> string(2953) "The Muhanga district in Rwanda will be the site of a pilot project utilising drones to deliver medical packages.
Getting medical supplies to people in need of medical assistance quickly is critical and drone technology offers speedy, direct transport of small-sized medical equipment, blood, medication and more in areas where on-the-ground movement might be hindered by rough terrain, poor infrastructure, lack of vehicle access or traffic. The Rwandan government has been working with American robotics company Zipline Inc on a system that would see unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deliver healthcare supplies, particularly blood supplies, to rural areas in the country. The current means of transport is motorbike but badly-paved roads and mountainous regions can impede this method of delivery. The project will help deliver medical supplies faster and more cost-effectively than by motorbike.
The project is part of a larger initiative to install a cargo drone network nationwide, with the government partnering with Swiss foundation Redline and architecture firm Foster + Partners to build the world’s first drone airports or ‘droneports’ in Rwanda. The aim is to use drone technology to 'leapfrog' existing methods of improving infrastructure. As part of the first phase of the project, UAVs that can carry packages weighing up to 10kg across distances of 100 metres will be put to use, while UAVs capable of carrying 100kg loads will eventually be included into the fleet. The plan is to turn each droneport into a hub of activity by building an adjacent health clinic, post office and drone manufacturing outlet. The team behind the initiative is particularly focused on ensuring that the network, technology and infrastructure being used for the project is sturdy and can be implemented and maintained cost-effectively in developing regions.
More and more companies are recognising the potential for drones to deliver small cargo packages, particularly medical and disaster relief supplies. US company Matternet has been trialling delivery of medical cargo in Bhutan and Papua New Guinea while Flirtey, a UAV manufacturer in Australia, carried out its first medical supply delivery in the US last year.
Construction of three drone ports is currently in the pipeline in the Muhanga district and test flights are scheduled to begin in August 2016.
" ["post_title"]=> string(42) "Drones to Deliver Healthcare Aid in Rwanda" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(119) "The Muhanga district in Rwanda will be the site of a pilot project utilising drones to deliver medical packages.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(45) "drones-deliver-healthcare-aid-rwanda-02222016" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:31:17" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:31:17" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(68) "http://reset.org/blog/drones-deliver-healthcare-aid-rwanda-02222016/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2409) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [6]=> object(WP_Post)#6723 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(33335) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "349" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2015-08-12 02:00:56" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2015-08-12 02:00:56" ["post_content"]=> string(8639) "The day when drones become part of our daily lives seems to be awhile off. However, Amazon and the like are working fervently on this scenario. It is therefore time to ask: to what extent are we willing to accept drones as part of our urban surroundings? The project "Unter Drohnen" (Under Drones) takes a closer look at this question. As part of our RESET Special 'Drones and Satellites for Good, we spoke with the project initiator, Julian Braun, about advertising drones and police quadcopters.The topic of drones is ubiquitous – and not just here at RESET. Be it drones for military purposes or for (rapidly expanding) civil use, drones are a hot topic and the latter in particular raises many questions. Apart from any technical hurdles that still need to be overcome, so-called quadricopter/quadcopters have a wide range of applications.Using pictorial representations of various scenarios, student Julian Brown and the team from the Urban Complexity Lab at the FH Potsdam, are putting forward the question to what extent are we willing to integrate drones into our everyday lives. His project "Under Drones" is a survey, which will initiate a discourse on the potential and the danger of drones. We inquired about what we can expect in the future from urban drones.You and your team from the Urban Complexity Lab at the FH Potsdam have devoted yourselves to the subject of drones in the city with this survey. Why drones?Drone technology is becoming an explosive topic in the field of urban development. Technically speaking, drones are highly complex flying objects that sometimes fly direct over our heads. In this instance, there is a lot that could go wrong. Firstly, there have been a number of accidents involving drones in the last few months and secondly the technology itself is a hot topic. Alongside the practical and economic potential, a number of questions about security and and privacy are popping up.You never know what might be recorded and who has access to the data and recordings. Drones have cameras, necessary for navigation. But who ensures that the shots get deleted?! I find the logic of ''but-if-you-have-nothing-to-hide'' extremely problematic.How many people have you already surveyed and what exactly do you want to know?At the last evaluation, there were about 300 participants. The aim was to gather opinions based on scenarios in the form of montages. The participants had to declare whether they found particular scenarios realistic/unrealistic, useful/unnecessary and calming/threatening.
Julian Braun The security drone. Realistic or not?
Julian Braun Drones as flying ads - useful or unnecessary?The day when drones become part of our daily lives seems to be awhile off. However, Amazon and the like are working fervently on this scenario. It is therefore time to ask: to what extent are we willing to accept drones as part of our urban surroundings? The project "Unter Drohnen" (Under Drones) takes a closer look at this question." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(67) "drones-and-satellites-good-how-many-drones-can-city-handle-08112015" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:00" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:00" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(90) "http://reset.org/blog/drones-and-satellites-good-how-many-drones-can-city-handle-08112015/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2654) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [7]=> object(WP_Post)#6724 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(33226) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "350" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2015-08-11 00:57:18" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2015-08-11 00:57:18" ["post_content"]=> string(6109) "With forests covering vast expanses of land, individuals and organisations engaged in illegal logging and deforestation are easily able to evade detection. We take a look at a couple of projects in the Amazon that use satellite and drone technology to detect and punish illegal logging.Anti-logging protestors now have some tools giving them an edge over illegal logging practices with satellite and drone technology being deployed to keep watch on deforestation activities. We take a look at how these technologies are having an impact in preserving the Amazon Rainforest:
"We've always known that the action is in the (tree canopy)... it is just spectacular to be able to see these forests from above and to use drones to do science in the canopy."In areas as dense and vast as rainforests, it is difficult for authorities and activists to stay aware of all illegal logging activties. Drone and satellite technology, when used in innovative ways, can help keep track of what's going below the upper forest canopy and curb deforestation.From the bottom of the ocean to the outer reaches of the galaxy – the possibilities offered by drones and satellites are practically unlimited. Unmanned aerial vehicles are no longer only used in war zones. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, they are also valuable aids in the fight against pollution and social injustice. They can expose polluters and even locate people buried under rubble. In our RESET Special 'Drones and Satellites for Good', we will introduce projects that use satellites and drones towards sustainable development." ["post_title"]=> string(55) "Drones and Satellites for Good - Tackling Deforestation" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(293) "
With forests covering vast expanses of land, individuals and organisations engaged in illegal logging and deforestation are easily able to evade detection. We take a look at a couple of projects in the Amazon that use satellite and drone technology to detect and punish illegal logging.
" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(72) "reset-special-drones-and-satellites-good-tackling-deforestation-07132015" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:03" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:03" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(95) "http://reset.org/blog/reset-special-drones-and-satellites-good-tackling-deforestation-07132015/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2657) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [8]=> object(WP_Post)#6725 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(33111) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "339" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2015-08-04 02:00:14" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2015-08-04 02:00:14" ["post_content"]=> string(9104) "In February of this year, the UN released a report calling for an upgrade in the technological tools deployed by peacekeeping forces. More specifically, they advocated an increase in the use of drones in humanitarian efforts, highlighting their ability to monitor and curb outbreaks of violence, and to gather information about the situation within conflict zones. So how could these mini flying robots aid peacekeeping efforts?Following the US military’s use of drones to carry out attacks in countries like Pakistan, the technology doesn’t exactly have the best reputation, so the UN consistently refers to these “positive” drones as “UAVs” (short for unmanned aerial vehicles), to distance them from the more contentious military devices. But more than just a rebranding of a controversial technology, nowadays drones are being used for a variety of peacekeeping missions, from monitoring the activities of guerrilla groups and outbreaks of violence in Africa, to searching out landmines in the war-scarred landscape of Eastern Europe.In February of this year, the UN released a report calling for an upgrade in the technological tools deployed by peacekeeping forces. More specifically, they advocated an increase in the use of drones in humanitarian efforts, highlighting their ability to monitor and curb outbreaks of violence, and to gather information about the situation within conflict zones." ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(48) "reset-special-drones-good-keeping-peace-06202015" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:04" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2021-09-10 15:39:04" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(71) "http://reset.org/blog/reset-special-drones-good-keeping-peace-06202015/" ["menu_order"]=> int(2668) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post_count"]=> int(9) ["current_post"]=> int(-1) ["before_loop"]=> bool(true) ["in_the_loop"]=> bool(false) ["post"]=> object(WP_Post)#6685 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(40489) ["post_author"]=> string(3) "390" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2020-09-24 03:00:00" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2020-09-24 03:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(8203) "
Drones are not merely limited to the skies, with sophisticated unmanned vehicles now also able to take to the water - sailing the globe automatically for months at a time and gathering data on the health of our seas and oceans.
Based out of San Francisco, Saildrone is a maritime technology company which aims to provide high-tech automated solutions for marine research and commercial activity. The patented design behind their titular product was originally devised for something quite other than ocean surveying: breaking the land speed record. However, CEO Richard Jenkins then discovered his knowledge in aerodynamics and carbon composite structures could be applied to new frontiers.
The saildrone is technically a USV - unmanned surface vehicle - comprising a seven-metre long hull and 5-metre tall sail. Weighing in at around 750 kilograms, it is substantially larger and heavier than most commercial drones, including those used on the water. Its size, however, allows it to carry an extensive suite of scientific and monitoring equipment which can measure up to fifteen different metrics, including temperature, ocean salinity, ocean currents, fish biomass and carbon.
The saildrone itself is propelled by wind power and can cover up to 150 kilometres a day in ideal conditions. Generally, a saildrone can carry out missions for up to around 12 months. During this time, they navigate autonomously, while being in constant connection with human supervisors via satellite.
The technology has the potential to radically alter the traditional means of gathering in situ data regarding our seas and oceans. Previously, researchers had to rely on sensors, often stationary, to record only a small number of metrics. Alternatively, they could use research vessels, which come with all the costs and complications of staffing, supply and maintenance. Saildrone COO Sebastien de Halleux told RESET:
“Research vessels and buoys are expensive to deploy and maintain, and there aren’t enough of them. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has only 16 research vessels and there are fewer than 200 offshore buoys globally. Saildrones are less expensive to operate than research vessels and, because they are powered by wind and solar energy, they are virtually silent while operating so they do not disturb the environment they are surveying.”
The saildrones, which can operate via pre-defined parameters and waypoints, have also been built to survive some of the harshest ocean conditions, which would otherwise be dangerous or impractical for long-term manned research missions.
As well as environmental measuring, saildrones have also been used to track and monitor the size and health of various fish populations, such as Alaskan pollock. This has mostly been conducted in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees regulations on sustainable fishing. According to Saildrone, this information can be used to assess the impact of fishing on various species, as well as advise in the creation of protected areas.
More recently, Saildrone has also been trialled by the US Coast Guard in the field of marine domain awareness. The tools on the saildrone can be used for defence and security purposes, including communications and vessel tracking.
Although this could ultimately have military applications, the tools could also provide some environmental protections, including detecting illegal fishing, oil spills and intrusions into protected areas by unsuitable watercraft.
Much of Saildrone’s previous scientific missions have been attached to testing and proving the concept of an autonomous research vessel. However, saildrones have already circumnavigated the Antarctic, taken carbon measurements, monitored weather systems in Japan and tracked the movement and behaviour of fur seals.
In particular, saildrones could fill in the gaps of previous attempts to measure ocean carbon and temperature which often lacked the endurance on an unmanned device. Although satellites have recently been experimented with in these fields, they do have limitations. Often they can only focus in-depth on a small area of the ocean’s surface, while they often lack spatial and temporal resolution. Cloud cover and other weather can also interrupt signals and measurements. However, as de Halleux explains:
“The saildrone is not a replacement for these existing tools, but rather a complementary tool that will cost-effectively expand the scope of temporal and spatial ocean observation. Saildrones, along with these existing methods, all play an important role in the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS). Together they form a new 'observational stack': satellites for the big picture from space, underwater gliders for the deep ocean, and Saildrones for surface monitoring looking both up at the atmosphere and down at the seabed.”
In July, a saildrone completed another long distance trial, covering the 15,015 nautical miles from Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean to Trieste on the Mediterreanean Coast in 274 days. In the future, the company has ambitious plans. It hopes to develop a fleet of around 1,000 saildrones which will then survey all of the world’s seas and oceans. De Halleux explained this project - The Quantified Planet - further:
“Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, and yet they are largely unexplored and undersampled due to the cost and difficulty of collecting in situ data in a marine environment. The Quantified Planet is a vision for how we can dramatically increase in situ data collection. If the global ocean was to be divided into six-by-six-degree squares, you’d get about 1,000 squares. Saildrone’s goal is to continually deploy one vehicle in each of those squares to give us better insights into the planetary systems affecting humanity.”
Currently, around 100 saildrones have been used across the world, the progress of which can be tracked and explored on Saildrone’s website.
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© Saildrone: The Unmanned Research Drones Looking to Survey Every Square Mile of Ocean
The Drones Soon to be Planting 100,000 Mangroves Each Day in Myanmar
APSARA: the Evolution of the Paper Plane
GPS-equipped ‘Tumbleweeds’ and Drones Could Aid Landmine Clearance
Drones Will Rain Candy to Save Black-Footed Ferret
Drones to Deliver Healthcare Aid in Rwanda
Drones and Satellites for Good – How Many Drones Can a City Handle?
Drones and Satellites for Good – Tackling Deforestation
Drones and Satellites For Good – Keeping the Peace
