SkySeeker

Aerial-Census Imaging Pod

What is SkySeeker?

SkySeeker is a camera pod that you can attach to the wing strut of a light aircraft while you perform an aerial animal census. Once activated by its mobile app, it will begin to continuously take overlapping high-resolution photographs of the ground – either directly below (nadir) or obliquely out to the side of the aircraft in a manner similar to traditional rear-seat observer (RSO) counts. The resulting imagery can then be processed either manually, or using AI systems like SurveyScope, to identify animals and generate population estimates using traditional RSO techniques to in turn inform management decisions.

Why?

Game counts are notoriously difficult and expensive, requiring numerous skilled human observers for multiple days – putting themselves in harms way and testing their powers of concentration with long hours of low-altitude flight. Scientists have spent decades trying to remove all sources of error in these surveys, but the simple reality is that even the best human observers are fallible. Therefore, SkySeeker looks to remove this source of error once and for all – simply recording the objective reality for posterity. The resulting data can then be analysed at one’s leisure – over and over again, re-visited and audited in the case of any discrepancies.

Why SkySeeker?

  • It can be used on its own, or in conjunction with our SurveyScope software to generate AI-powered game counts that are both more-accurate and lower-cost whilst being traceable and auditable through long-term record keeping.
  • It is FAA, CAA and TCCA certified for Cessna 172, 182 and 206, and can also be mounted on most non-type certified aircraft such as BushCats, Savannas and Huskies.
  • It is available in both single- and multi-camera variants with any multitude of imaging angles – from nadir to oblique.
  • It is controlled and monitored using a mobile app for maximum simplicity.

Why Not a Satellite?

Commercially-available satellite imagery simply does not have sufficient resolution to reliably differentiate species – even elephants from rocks and rhinos. Moreover, this imagery also comes at a significant cost, only becoming comparable to light aircraft at extreme scales.

Why Not a Drone?

  • Ideally, one needs to cover the entire survey area in a 3-4 hour morning window – before shade-seeking behaviour and animal movements can negatively impact results.
  • Most commercial drones do not have the requisite endurance, whilst those that do tend not to be able to sustain sufficient airspeed to cover enough area in this limited window.
  • Drones that are able to provide sufficient coverage, tend to cost as much if not more than an equally-capable light aircraft – but without the additional flexibility of being able to ferry people and supplies to and from remote areas etc.
  • Moreover, drone regulations can be quite poorly defined in many remote regions.
  • In regions where these regulations are well-defined, they can be overly restrictive – requiring specially qualified operators and line-of-sight operation.
  • Moreover, moving these devices across national borders is extremely challenging – both in terms of pilot requirements, and moving the hardware itself across the border.

Why a Light Aircraft?

Most remote protected areas already have a suitable resident light aircraft and pilot, or one based in the region. This also typically includes the necessary infrastructure – both in terms of fuel and landing strips. A portable camera pod can simply be ferried around and mounted on the local aircraft – requiring large organisations to only maintain one such device.

Hardware

SkySeeker can be populated with most commercial and industrial cameras and lenses. However, our recommended hardware is as follows:

  • Sony ILX-LR1 industrial camera
    • 35mm full frame sensor
    • 61 megapixels
    • 9504 x 6336 pixels
  • ZEISS Interlock compact 2/50 E lens
    • 50mm lens (although any other focal length can also be used)
    • Manual focus which can be locked in place.
    • Compact design is less susceptible to vibration.
  • Rapberry Pi Controller
  • 4TB solid state hard drive for fast write and long endurance
  • GPS module
  • Wi-Fi antenna to connect to mobile app
  • Can optionally be fitted with an IMU for improved performance
  • Rechargeable and replaceable Li-ion battery for many hours of endurance

Features

Flexible Camera Angles

SkySeeker has been designed with flexibility in mind – allowing up to two cameras mounted at any angle, either inline or perpendicular to the flight path.

Phone Application

SkySeeker is entirely operated using a phone application – giving users unrivalled ease of access. This allows for rapid modification and real-time monitoring of various parameters such as image capture rates and remaining endurance. Additionally, image quality can be rapidly assessed, allowing users to detect anomalies before takeoff – like forgetting a lens cap.

Long Endurance

Thanks to high-capacity hard drives and lithium-ion batteries, SkySeeker can be operated for multiple days in a row. Additionally, these devices can simply be swapped out to instantaneously refresh the pod’s endurance.

FAA, CAA and TCCA Certified

SkySeeker is certified on Cessna 172, 182 & 206 aircraft, allowing you to safely mount it on your own without any safety concerns.

Fully Wireless

Thanks to it’s self-contained battery power, hard drive, and mobile app, SkySeeker is a fully enclosed unit – meaning it can be easily and rapidly mounted to an aircraft without any cable routing.

Dedicated GPS Antenna

SkySeeker has its own dedicated GPS antenna to ensure accurate platform-position information.

Rough Performance Specifications

Due to the flexibility of the SkySeeker design in terms of both hardware and view angles, the specifications can vary quite widely. However, for your convenience, here are some guideline specifications for typical nadir and 40 degree camera angles, using our standard hardware:

Nadir – Low Cost

This is a setup for minimising cost per square kilometre using just a single pod – typically for surveying large species like elephants.

  • Altitude: 2500ft AGL
  • GSD: 5.7 cm
  • Strip Width: 544 m
  • Area Coverage (Cessna 182 @ 269km/h): 146km2/hr

Nadir – Full Count

This is a setup for counting medium and large mammals.

  • Altitude: 1000ft AGL
  • GSD: 2.3 cm
  • Strip Width: 218 m
  • Area Coverage (Cessna 182 @ 269km/h): 59km2/hr

Oblique – Full Count with Two Pods

This is a setup for counting medium and large mammals using an oblique view angle with a pod on either side of the aircraft.

  • Altitude: 750ft AGL
  • Centre angle: 40 degrees from nadir
  • FOV: 20-60 degrees from nadir
  • GSD: 1.8 – 3.4 cm
  • Strip Width: 310 m per side (610 m total)
  • Area Coverage (Cessna 182 @ 269km/h): 164km2/hr

So How Do I Get Started?

There are a few different ways to get started with SkySeeker:

1. Build Your Own

Since the platform design and it’s associated software is open source, you can purchase the requisite components and assemble it yourself – allowing you to fully customise various aspects from the camera equipment to the camera angles. This approach also allows you to mount the hardware inside a lower-cost enclosure if certification is not a priority.

2. Purchase an Assembled Pod

Alternatively, you can rely on our experience and expertise and have us provide one for you – at cost.

3. Rent/Borrow One of Our Pods

You can also enquire about making use of one of our pods – at the sole expense of transporting it. If you are a for-profit contractor, we might charge a small fee to offset the associated costs and risks. Also please note that availability may be limited during peak periods.

4. Rent a 3rd-Party Pod

We can also potentially put you in contact with a local organisation that has their own pod.