As tender called for three drones also known as UAV ( unmanned aerial vehicle) for use in the Betla National Park of tiger reserve Palamu was cancelled the PTR directorate is mooting the idea to float Expression Of Interest for the same said sources.
Sources said the expression of interest (EOI) is for academic/ technical institutions of national and international repute to respond to the requirement of three drones for the aerial surveillance for the National Park Betla in this tiger reserve. The EOI is to be issued by the office of the divisional forest Core of PTR.
Sources said the three drones have been classified as Hexacopter/Octacopter ( one unit) portable/foldable quadcopter ( one unit) and fixed wing quad plane for long term mapping ( one unit).
Sources said the maximum height that these drones will fly is 400 meters above the ground.
Sources said the duration of flight of these three drones is also variable from 20 minutes to 75 minutes.
Hexacopter /Octacopter ‘s minimum flight time is 45 minutes with speed of 12 m/s. It is to be equipped with visual daylight camera and thermal camera which is to be swappable. Hexacopter is the main work horse unmanned aerial vehicle.
Portable/foldable quadcopter is a field unit UAV with thermal and visual sensors with flight time of only 20 minutes said sources. It is to do surveillance of 10 Sq km every two days.
The third unit is of fixed wing quad plane. It is for long range mapping and analysis of wild life and other forest activities. Its flight time is higher than the previous two which is 75 minutes. Its speed is also high 25 m/s.
Chief conservator of forest cum field director M P Singh on being contacted said ‘ The tender stands cancelled now. We are definitely going for expression of interest inviting academic & technical institutions of national or international repute and recognition to respond to our expression of interest for three drones’.
He said ‘ We have decided that all three drones be all weather proof and must have strength and durability to bear the adverse climactic situations or weather’s vagaries like rains, heat and wind etc.’
Field director further added ‘ The prime objectives for these three drones are to contain man animal conflict, anti poaching device/measure and illegal and unauthorized entry/intrusion in the tiger reserve for wrongful gains ‘.
Sources said the state government has sanctioned and given 28 lakh rupees for this. The ministry of civil aviation has already granted NoC while it is awaited from MHA ( ministry of home affairs) now since MoD ( ministry of defence ) has nothing to do here following no defence installation/building/ institution located in the range of this tiger reserve whose geographical jurisdiction is latehar and Garhwa district. This is for a period of one year only said sources.