Cost Effective
Aerial infrared mounted on a fixed wing airplane COST LESS than surveying for wildlife using human observers in a helicopter or airplane. Our service is a better value because of the ability to remove much of the data handling and video can provide a permanent visual record. We can export directly into your GIS or ours for fast reliable data.
Our staff tested detection rates and performed a cost assessment comparing traditional surveys to using a FLIR mounted on a fixed-wing airplane for sage grouse lek surveys. The study examined detection rate, identified limitations in time of day, developed flight parameters to use for FLIR surveys, and evaluated cost of the two methods.
Flight Parameters for the FLIR survey included:
• IR operator manually aimed & focused the FLIR to detect sage grouse and used the color video camera for species confirmation.
• Video screen is overlaid with latitude, longitude, date, time, airplane bank angle, heading, airspeed
• Airspeeds ranged from 70-100 knots
• Altitudes from 1,500 – 2,000 ft AGL were tested
The study area was the sagebrush – steppe in southwestern Idaho. Vegetation is dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush and low sagebrush barrens. Elevation was 5,200 ft. Surveys were flown two mornings within 1 hour of sunrise.
Male sage grouse were initially located when the flight altitude was 2,000 ft AGL using a look angle of 30 degrees. This provided a slant range or distance to the birds of roughly 4,000 ft. Males strutting or booming was distinguishable from an altitude of 1,800 ft AGL. on both IR and color video. A good balance between detection and search footprint was obtained at 1,800 ft AGL with a 30 degree look angle. This provides a search foot print or screen width of 196 m (650 ft).
Cost Evaluation is based on a 10 mile by 10 mile parcel using a fixed wing airplane. The habitat for these surveys is sagebrush – steppe uplands with gently rolling terrain. The flight parameters assumed for both surveys include transects spaced 1 mile apart with the airspeed at 70 knots.
For traditional survey the flight altitude was 300 ft AGL with two observers looking west away from the sun. The swath width is roughly 100 ft. where detection rates are high. This techniques searches approximately 1.6 % of the study area.
For FLIR surveys the flight altitude was 1,800 ft. AGK with a 30 degree look angle in front of the airplane. The swath width is 1,260 ft. where detection rates are high. This technique samples approximately 12.3 % of the study area.
The cost for the flight time is roughly the same for both surveys; however the difference in coverage is vastly different making FLIR more cost effective.
IR has been used across North America from Louisiana to the north slope of Alaska to survey a variety of wildlife including mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose, big horn sheep, pronghorn antelope, brown bear, sage grouse, turkeys, sand hill cranes, dead birds, and polar bear maternal dens. Vegetation cover types include the eastern deciduous forest, coniferous forests, sagebrush – steppe, grasslands, deserts and snow fields. Surveys can be conducted during the day or night and year round with consideration for the behavior of the subject animal.
|
