Analysis of the Possibility of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Thermovision for the Stocktaking of Big Game

Abstract Classic methods of stocktaking big game living in a given area have many disadvantages. The main result is the need to ensure appropriate terrain and weather conditions and also require the involvement of a large number of people, so-called observers. The development of technology makes it possible to create new stocktaking methods that will not have as many of the above-mentioned disadvantages, while reducing the cost of stocktaking and increasing its accuracy. This paper presents an analysis of the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles, so-called drones, in combination with the observation of game in the infrared wave range with the use of a thermal imaging camera. The paper presents the concept of such a solution, which will of course be further developed. Raids are planned with the use of thermal cameras over areas according to strictly defined transects and subjecting the obtained images to analysis, also with the use of artificial intelligence methods. This article was written as part of the PBL project carried out by a group of students from the Silesian University of Technology under the supervision of dr inż. Arkadiusz Boczkowski.

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Development of Low-Resolution, Low-Power and Low-Cost Infrared System

Pomiary Automatyka Robotyka ◽

10.14313/par_240/47 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 47-52

Author(s):

Bogusław Więcek ◽

Sebastian Urbaś

Keyword(s):

Low Power ◽

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Thermal Imaging ◽

Electronic Circuit ◽

Low Cost ◽

Low Power Consumption ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Imaging Camera ◽

Fpga Chip ◽

Infrared Wave

The article presents the construction of a thermal imaging camera with low power consumption. The 80 × 80 Micro80Gen2 microbolometric array of detectors records infrared radiation in the LWIR spectral range (long infrared wave, 8–12 µm). The entire digital part of the electronic circuit has been integrated within the reprogrammable FPGA chip from the Spartan 6 family. In order to read and display thermograms, an application for the .NetFremework 3.1 platform, which implements non-uniformity correction (NUC) and image processing, is written. Due to its low cost, small size and weight, the camera can be used in various applications, e.g. in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) known as drones.

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Using a Thermal Channel (LWIR) to Assess Crop Conditions and Predict Crop Yields

Elektrotekhnologii i elektrooborudovanie v APK ◽

10.22314/2658-4859-2020-67-3-87-94 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 87-94

Author(s):

Rashid K. Kurbanov ◽

Natalya I. Zakharova ◽

Ol’ga M. Gayduk

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Thermal Imaging ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Yields ◽

The State ◽

Research Purpose ◽

Irrigation Systems ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Thermal Cameras

In precision agriculture, thermal remote sensing is considered a promising tool that estimates the surface temperature of vegetation and uses satellite thermal imaging cameras or thermal cameras on unmanned aerial vehicles. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in reviewing of thermal cameras for unmanned aerial vehicles and the use of a heat channel (LWIR) to study the state of crops when monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles. (Materials and methods) We used scientific literature, materials of domestic and foreign authors, and websites of manufacturers of thermal imaging cameras for unmanned aerial vehicles. (Results and discussion) A modern drone with a thermal imaging camera serves as a platform solution for monitoring agricultural fields. Thermal infrared sensors capture information about the temperature of objects warmer than absolute zero (-273 degrees Celsius/-459 degrees Fahrenheit) at certain wavelengths (the LWIR and MWIR ranges) in an amount proportional to their temperature and generate images that display this temperature. The process of collecting and processing thermal data consists of several stages and varies depending on the suspension equipment and the purpose of the survey. Foreign scientists used thermal images obtained using unmanned aerial vehicles and a thermal camera to assess the state of vegetation cover, crop yields, irrigation systems, to measure water stress, determine the maturity phase of row crops and fruit tree productivity. (Conclusions) The heat channel can be used in the formation of decisions for assessing vegetation cover, crop moisture availability, when planning irrigation systems, determining diseases and infected crops, crop readiness for harvesting and yield mapping.

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Important Parameters and Settings in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Safety & Fire Technology ◽

10.12845/sft.58.2.2021.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 92-118

Author(s):

Maciej Zawistowski

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Thermal Imaging ◽

Fire Service ◽

On Certainty ◽

Fire Brigade ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Imaging Camera ◽

The Moment ◽

The Impact

Aim: The article presents a set of parameters and settings for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), which is crucial in the operational work of the fire brigade and its importance for the quality of the final material obtained from an RGB camera or a thermal imaging camera. Introduction: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are more often and more boldly used by various uniformed formations, including pilots of the State Fire Service and Volunteer Fire Brigades. Currently, they are used to perform recognition of situations and coordination of activities with the use of RGB and thermal imaging cameras. There are also other applications of UAV, including firefighting, but at the moment they are only conceptual solutions, as they have not been tested during an actual firefighting operation. According to the authors, a drone is currently only a carrier of additional devices and its functionality during the operation depends largely on certainty and reliability of a given UAV structure, as well as on the type and quality of the elements and sensors mounted on it. Methodology: A review of literature and press reports, as well as the authors’ experience in working with UAVs and the results of their research were used to analyse the topic. Conclusions: Indicating a set of key parameters for the UAVs used by fire brigade users is only possible to define its application. Therefore, in this study, the authors presented the most common use of unmanned aerial vehicles, for which key parameters were indicated and the impact of these factors on the obtained results of drones was described. Due to the frequent neglect of camera operation and the importance of their parameters, the authors described the most frequently set parameters of photographs and their impact on the final result, which is of key importance for the usefulness of the collected material.

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Thermal Imaging of Beach-Nesting Bird Habitat with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Considerations for Reducing Disturbance and Enhanced Image Accuracy

Drones ◽

10.3390/drones4020012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 12

Author(s):

Kerry L. Mapes ◽

Narcisa G. Pricope ◽

J. Britton Baxley ◽

Lauren E. Schaale ◽

Raymond M. Danner

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Thermal Imaging ◽

Habitat Restoration ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

The Novel ◽

Thermal Indices ◽

Ground Control Points ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Bird Habitat

Knowledge of temperature variation within and across beach-nesting bird habitat, and how such variation may affect the nesting success and survival of these species, is currently lacking. This type of data is furthermore needed to refine predictions of population changes due to climate change, identify important breeding habitat, and guide habitat restoration efforts. Thermal imagery collected with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provides a potential approach to fill current knowledge gaps and accomplish these goals. Our research outlines a novel methodology for collecting and implementing active thermal ground control points (GCPs) and assess the accuracy of the resulting imagery using an off-the-shelf commercial fixed-wing UAV that allows for the reconstruction of thermal landscapes at high spatial, temporal, and radiometric resolutions. Additionally, we observed and documented the behavioral responses of beach-nesting birds to UAV flights and modifications made to flight plans or the physical appearance of the UAV to minimize disturbance. We found strong evidence that flying on cloudless days and using sky-blue camouflage greatly reduced disturbance to nesting birds. The incorporation of the novel active thermal GCPs into the processing workflow increased image spatial accuracy an average of 12 m horizontally (mean root mean square error of checkpoints in imagery with and without GCPs was 0.59 m and 23.75 m, respectively). The final thermal indices generated had a ground sampling distance of 25.10 cm and a thermal accuracy of less than 1 °C. This practical approach to collecting highly accurate thermal data for beach-nesting bird habitat while avoiding disturbance is a crucial step towards the continued monitoring and modeling of beach-nesting birds and their habitat.

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Methodological Ambiguity and Inconsistency Constrain Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as A Silver Bullet for Monitoring Ecological Restoration

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs11101180 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1180 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Todd M. Buters ◽

Philip W. Bateman ◽

Todd Robinson ◽

David Belton ◽

Kingsley W. Dixon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Ecological Restoration ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ecological Monitoring ◽

Policy Framework ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

The Future ◽

Thermal Cameras

The last decade has seen an exponential increase in the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to ecological monitoring research, though with little standardisation or comparability in methodological approaches and research aims. We reviewed the international peer-reviewed literature in order to explore the potential limitations on the feasibility of UAV-use in the monitoring of ecological restoration, and examined how they might be mitigated to maximise the quality, reliability and comparability of UAV-generated data. We found little evidence of translational research applying UAV-based approaches to ecological restoration, with less than 7% of 2133 published UAV monitoring studies centred around ecological restoration. Of the 48 studies, > 65% had been published in the three years preceding this study. Where studies utilised UAVs for rehabilitation or restoration applications, there was a strong propensity for single-sensor monitoring using commercially available RPAs fitted with the modest-resolution RGB sensors available. There was a strong positive correlation between the use of complex and expensive sensors (e.g., LiDAR, thermal cameras, hyperspectral sensors) and the complexity of chosen image classification techniques (e.g., machine learning), suggesting that cost remains a primary constraint to the wide application of multiple or complex sensors in UAV-based research. We propose that if UAV-acquired data are to represent the future of ecological monitoring, research requires a) consistency in the proven application of different platforms and sensors to the monitoring of target landforms, organisms and ecosystems, underpinned by clearly articulated monitoring goals and outcomes; b) optimization of data analysis techniques and the manner in which data are reported, undertaken in cross-disciplinary partnership with fields such as bioinformatics and machine learning; and c) the development of sound, reasonable and multi-laterally homogenous regulatory and policy framework supporting the application of UAVs to the large-scale and potentially trans-disciplinary ecological applications of the future.

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Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) landing in windy conditions with MAP-Elites

The Knowledge Engineering Review ◽

10.1017/s0269888917000121 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

Author(s):

Sierra A. Adibi ◽

Scott Forer ◽

Jeremy Fries ◽

Logan Yliniemi

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Artificial Neural Network ◽

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Ground Level ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

High Wind ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Dangerous Situation ◽

Vertical Speed ◽

Aerial Vehicle

AbstractWith the recent increase in the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) comes a surge of inexperienced aviators who may not have the requisite skills to react appropriately if weather conditions quickly change while their aircraft are in flight. This creates a dangerous situation, in which the pilot cannot safely land the vehicle. In this work we examine the use of the MAP-Elites algorithm to search for sets of weights for use in an artificial neural network. This neural network directly controls the thrust and pitching torque of a simulated 3-degree of freedom (2 linear, 1 rotational) fixed-wing UAV, with the goal of obtaining a smooth landing profile. We then examine the use of the same algorithm in high-wind conditions, with gusts up to 30 knots.Our results show that MAP-Elites is an effective method for searching for control policies, and by evolving two separate controllers and switching which controller is active when the UAV is near-ground level, we can produce a wider variety of phenotypic behaviors. The best controllers achieved landing at a vertical speed of <1 m s−1 and at an angle of approach of <1° degree.

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Low Speed Aerodynamics of Drogue System Refueling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.1016.349 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1016 ◽

pp. 349-353 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ian R. McAndrew ◽

Elena Navarro ◽

Orin Godsey

Keyword(s):

Wind Tunnel ◽

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Military Strategy ◽

Wind Tunnel Experiments ◽

Low Speed ◽

Significant Aspect ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Low Speeds

Refueling aircraft has become a significant aspect of military strategy for air forces to work at further distances from safe shores. This paper will address the aerodynamics of the drogue refueling system and in particular its characteristics at low speeds, including head and tail winds. Data from wind tunnel experiments are used to show how the docking when refueling is affected by the lower speeds, position behind the supply aircraft and weather conditions. Possibilities of design improvements and implications are related to the task of refueling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in-flight

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ‘in service’ of Internal Security of the State

Internal Security ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.3197 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 195-210

Author(s):

Renata Włodarczyk

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

New Technologies ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

The State ◽

Police Academy ◽

Internal Security ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Native Soil ◽

Adverse Weather ◽

Training Courses

The study was created thanks to the author’s preferences to learn increasingly more about new technologies that are able to increase the potential of internal security of the state. Recently, interest in recording areas (difficult to access, dangerous, monitored in adverse weather conditions, monitored due to the implementation of tasks by relevant services), the development of methods enabling the transmission of various materials at a distance, and performing other complicated activities have increased. For this purpose, unmanned aerial vehicles (so-called drones, UAVs) that are versatile in many respects are used. The author noticed the need to disseminate such innovative devices on native soil, especially for using them in multidirectional strengthening of the security sphere. Polish companies producing UAVs for many foreign customers have already marked their presence in this matter. The achievements of the designers are so impressive that it makes us appreciate the development of our technical thought, and above all, the use of drones to ensure security and public order in Poland. A series of training courses is already conducted by the Police Academy in Szczytno, which is a good solution both for teachers and, above all, for the trainees themselves. Such an initiative will undoubtedly translate into increased interest in drones, and especially the incredible usefulness of these devices for uniformed services and other entities.

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On the effectiveness of countering the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for the delivery of prohibited items to the territory of institutions of the penal system of the Russian Federation

Vedomosti (Knowledge) of the Penal System ◽

10.51522/2307-0382-2021-227-4-45-49 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 227 (4) ◽

pp. 45-49

Author(s):

SERGEJ M. KOLOTUSHKIN ◽

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Russian Federation ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Penal System ◽

Operating Modes ◽

Detention Centers ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

The Russian Federation ◽

The Cost ◽

Technical Solutions

Abstract. The article discusses the issues of assessing the effectiveness of tactical and technical solutions for prevention of prohibited items delivery to the territory of institutions of the penal system of the Russian Federation using unmanned aerial vehicles. The cost of completing the task was taken as the indicator of efficiency. The task was formulated as guaranteed prevention of flights of unmanned aerial vehicles over the territories of pre-trial detention centers, prisons, colonies and other facilities. In the course of theoretical and experimental studies, conceptual approaches to solving the highlighted problem were substantiated, rational characteristics and operating modes of complexes for countering flights of unmanned aerial vehicles over the territories of institutions of the penal system of the Russian Federation were defined. Key words: penal system, unmanned aerial vehicles, prohibited items, effectiveness of countermeasures.

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Improvement of energy efficiency of agricultural enterprises through the survey of high-voltage transmission lines using unmanned aerial vehicles

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/845/1/012156 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 845 (1) ◽

pp. 012156

Author(s):

A Y Astapov ◽

I P Krivolapov ◽

D V Akishin ◽

A S Gordeev ◽

A A Naydenov

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Transmission Lines ◽

Power Transmission ◽

Power Transmission Lines ◽

Reliability Factor ◽

Overhead Lines ◽

Agricultural Enterprises ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

The Cost

Abstract The paper studies the reliability of transmission lines of Michurinsk district electric lines in Tambov Region. It evaluates the quality of overhead power transmission lines in the support-insulator-wire system and determines the reliability factor of overhead lines. The paper proposes methodological approaches to the survey of power transmission lines using unmanned aerial vehicles. Their use seems quite promising and profitable, since the cost of such work is an order of magnitude lower.

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