Abstract:
Over the last years there has been a massive increase in rhinoceros poaching incidents, with more than two individuals
killed per day in South Africa in the first months of 2013. Immediate actions are needed to preserve current populations and
the agents involved in their protection are demanding new technologies to increase their efficiency in the field. We assessed
the use of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to monitor for poaching activities. We performed 20 flights with 3 types
of cameras: visual photo, HD video and thermal video, to test the ability of the systems to detect (a) rhinoceros, (b) people
acting as poachers and (c) to do fence surveillance. The study area consisted of several large game farms in KwaZulu-Natal
province, South Africa. The targets were better detected at the lowest altitudes, but to operate the plane safely and in a
discreet way, altitudes between 100 and 180 m were the most convenient. Open areas facilitated target detection, while
forest habitats complicated it. Detectability using visual cameras was higher at morning and midday, but the thermal
camera provided the best images in the morning and at night. Considering not only the technical capabilities of the systems
but also the poachers modus operandi and the current control methods, we propose RPAS usage as a tool for surveillance of
sensitive areas, for supporting field anti-poaching operations, as a deterrent tool for poachers and as a complementary
method for rhinoceros ecology research. Here, we demonstrate that low cost RPAS can be useful for rhinoceros stakeholders
for field control procedures. There are, however, important practical limitations that should be considered for their
successful and realistic integration in the anti-poaching battle.
