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Drones to keep eye on Panna tigers grounded by Wildlife Institute of India


Union environment ministry's ambitious eye-in-the-sky project to keep vigil on tigers at Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh was grounded after a few take-offs and landings. Two drones flown to PTR as part of the pilot project are gathering dust at the base camp of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, since January this year.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had assigned WII-Dehradun officials to test these drones at PTR.

"WII flew it for three days and then grounded the drones without training PTR officers on its operations. The institute has not even prepared a review," said a senior officer at headquarters of state forest department. Defence ministry has given approval for testing drones at PTR till June only. "If the review report gets delayed, there are chances the defence ministry may object to further sorties," said an officer.

Initially, the pilot project for aerial surveillance was proposed at Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam. But the drones were brought to PTR after the defence ministry shot down the proposal due to security concerns.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had put forward a request for use of UAV also known as 'conservation drones' at Kaziranga after floods restricted manned surveillance of the park in 2013.

With a big 'no' from the defence ministry, NTCA and WII shifted the project to PTR where test flights were carried out on January 10. Authorities at PTR had planned to fly at least four drones over the terrain. Sources said drones were being flown over the reserve's rough terrain as GPS-collared big cats are difficult to monitor. Five take-offs and landings were conducted successfully.

Drones have a two-metre wing span and a range of 60-40 km. They can stay in air for 45 minutes at an altitude of 200m.

Experts from US-based 'Conservation Drones' company, Lian Pin Koh and Simon Wunderlin, launched the test flights.

When contacted, PTR field director R Sreenivasa Murthy said he doesn't have details on operation plans. WII scientist E Ramesh, however, said drones would fly again in June.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/...441902.cms

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