Team AREND is a project of Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS), a Colorado 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. WPS is an international non-profit group dedicated to the conservation of endangered species. Its current focus is on the five species of rhinos world-wide, with a special emphasis on creating habitat and breeding programs that will allow rhino populations to grow faster than they are being poached.

A big thanks to Ben Fraser in Boulder, CO for producing our video!

Our student team is building an Unmanned Aerial System (UAV) to support wildlife conservation.

An international student team (Team AREND) is collaborating to compete in the Wildlife Conservation UAV Challenge to design, build & fly an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in support of anti-poaching operations in South Africa.  This student team is led by Dr. Jean Koster at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and includes teams from Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland, the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

We are especially pleased to collaborate with the University of Pretoria in South Africa, specifically their CSIR Aeronautical Group and the Centre for Wildlife Management.

Team AREND Organization

Also collaborating with and supporting / sponsoring this student team is Helios Torque Fusion, Inc.,NIST - the National Institute for Standards and Technology, First RF Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, Blue Atmos, LLC of Denver, Colorado, Four Winds Interactive Inc. of Denver, Colorado, the Arvada Modelers club and many technology experts from the region.  Helios Torque Fusion, Inc. is a Colorado-based business working to commercialize hybrid-electric propulsion systems for UAVs, making the aircraft more fuel-efficient and quiet - both important for wildlife monitoring & protection.The African Conservation Foundation supplies us with poaching information material so we can create a better solution to the unique challenges presented.

Team AREND is composed of aerospace, mechanical, electrical, and computer engineers, skilled in the following technical areas: structures, composite materials, fabrication, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, controls, (power) electronics, sensors and instrumentation, software, etc.

Primary team advisers are faculty members at the four universities as shown in this graph:

AREND Academic Advisors & Leads

Professionals from the UAV industry and wildlife conservation organizations are invaluable resources to design a dedicated aircraft based on understanding of wildlife behavior and poacher operational modes. We are fortunate to have large pool of resources that we can tap into for advice; advisers with complimentary knowledge in all aspects of UAV design, sensors, and wildlife management. Our colleagues from Pretoria also have an excellent working relation to SANParks rangers who experienced poaching and operational modes of poachers.

AREND Industry Advisors

The time schedule for the design is shown in the following graph. First the graph shows the different class times at the different universities. This challenge is overcome by motivated who continue to work during their semester breaks. New students may come onboard at each semester beginning. The time schedule contains blocks for major tasks. The milestones for the project are also indicated with colored bullets. Such a clear planning shall keep the development of the project on track.  In addition to contributing to an important humanitarian & ecological cause, students have the opportunity to develop pertinent team-working skills in globally delocalized teams - the future in high tech industry - as well as exposure to industry employers.

Global Timeline

Team Updates: facebook.com/teamarend

Aircraft Requirements:

In the following the top level requirements to design and build the competition aircraft are given.

Low cost UAV to perform counter-poaching missions | Take-off gross weight < 55 lbs satisfying AMA regulations | Must have mechanical motor arming system | Engine must be safely accessible by crew member | Safety arming device must be in safe mode for all payload access.

Performance Requirements:

Radio or (preferred) auto-controlled | Endurance goal: 120 minutes flight | Recovery: radio or (preferred) autopilot recovery | Recovery zone goal: 10 meters (~30 ft.) radius | Take-off weight with payload< 55 lbs

Communication Performance:

Internet capable devices (PC, smart phones). 3G/4G communications with backup radio links | Range goal: 20 km (~12.4 miles) | Continuity goal: 76-100% | Accessibility over IP devices: full telemetry with video streaming

Imagery Quality:

Resolution goal: 5 centimeter line separation at 300 ft. AGL (Above Ground Level) | Stability goal: electronic image and physical stability | Low light level (dawn/dusk) and night time

Embedded Systems:

Ability of onboard system to detect moving ground targets (humans, rhinos) in imagery - goal is to detect and geo-register (GPS position (Global Positioning System)) | moving targets | animal targets | identify animals

Cost limit: