Successful UAV Anti Poaching Trials in Tanzania
(Posted 20th September 2015)
Bathawk Recon, a Tanzanian UAV Anti Poaching surveillance company, has hosted UAV trials at Mkomazi National Park. The trials featured the American made Super Bat DA-50 and were held on the 12th to the 16th September. They were set up to determine if the gas powered long endurance drone could meet Bathawk’s anti-poaching concept requirements. After five days of flights the Super Bat has hit all the targets.
The team, made up of Bathawk, Aviation Unmanned from the States and TANAPA, put the Super Bat through its passes over five days and tested sound, the effectiveness of the sensors, range, endurance and operating in support of rangers. The Super Bat, even operating at the maximum altitude agreed with civil aviation, could detect people, follow them through the bush, zoom in on game and do it all in both in Video and Infra Red. Along with the sensing the Super Bat’s range and endurance were confirmed at an impressive 30 kilometers distance and eight hours in the air.
UAV anti poaching surveillance projects are being developed in a number of African countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Kenya. However there is still some controversy on their effectiveness. Bathawk’s position is that UAV surveillance is certain to be the most cost effective and, in the end, will be widely used in anti poaching. This issue at present is the specific technology to meet a specific concept and that’s what the trial was designed to demonstrate.
Mkomazi National Park is managed by the Tanzania National Park Authority. Bathawk is a private company proposing a service but under the auspices of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation’s Private Sector Anti Poaching Initiative which incubates private sector projects to accelerate Tanzania’s reaction to the poaching crisis.
For more details here are the email contacts of key team members
· Mike Chambers: Bathawk Recon Director: email: mike.chambers
· Idrisa Jaffary: Press Liaison Officer: email: idrisajaffary
· Godfrey Simbeye: CEO TPSF:
email: Simbeye
· Bernard Hewett: Coordinator PSAPI:email: bernie.hewett
The Bathawk Recon team will be working to give press access to video, stills or other materials.
Visit our websites: www.elephantsurvival.or.tz and www.bat-hawkrecon.com
Follow us on our Social Media:
