To overcome human limitations when it comes to varied observational tasks related to wildlife, the use of drones is expected to be started in 10 bio-geographic zones of the nation by next year.
With the assistance of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and other collaborators, the Wildlife Institute of India plans to use customised unmanned aerial vehicles in different types of terrains across the nation including the Corbett tiger reserve in Uttarakhand once the proposal is cleared by the Ministry of Defence. Apart from monitoring wildlife in daylight and night, the drones could also prove helpful in counting of wildlife especially species like the swamp deer that prefer habitats not convenient for humans to access.
Considering the diversity of terrain in India ranging from high altitude Himalayan regions to coastal mangrove swamps, human limitations make drones a viable option for keeping an aye on the wildlife and environment especially in areas difficult to access by department staff and researchers on a regular basis. According to WII scientist Dr K Ramesh, a pilot project of surveillance by drones was completed successfully in Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
"We have identified 10 biogeographic zones across the nation covering the varied habitats found in India. We plan to use customised drones for monitoring and other works in these areas including Corbett in Uttarakhand, once the proposal is approved by the Ministry of Defence. The customised drones are much smaller than the UAVs used for defence purposes and will be adapted to the specific conditions in the area of deployment," he said.
These hand-launched drones costing considerably less than the UAVs used for defence purpose can fly at 40 kmph and remain airborne for almost an hour recording images and videos and transmitting these on a real-time basis. The 10 biogeographic zones identified by WII range from the high-altitude Himalayan region, foothills and Central India to the coastal mangrove swamps of Sunderban among others. Experts point out that using the drones could prove quite effective for addressing various issues in wildlife management in varied habitats. Fitted with night vision cameras, the drones can be used for surveillance effectively in areas like Corbett that shares its boundary with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. The southern boundary is one of the sites preferred by poachers for intrusion into Corbett especially to target the tigers. The project is expected to start in January next year depending on the time taken for it to be cleared by the Ministry of Defence.