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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 2017)
2 C SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017 ODFW deploys drones for first time during elk surveys From their vantage point high atop the Oregon Coast Range, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Herman Biederbeck and two researchers from Oregon State University can see almost for- ever as the first rays of sunlight peek over the top of Saddle Mountain in the distance to the east. Below is the Young’s River basin and a patchwork of thou- sands of acres forest land inter- spersed with clear-cuts — ideal elk habitat. The researchers, Jonathan Burnett and Cory Garms, both Ph.D. students in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management at OSU, want to find out whether unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or “drones” can be used effective- ly to count elk in this kind of terrain. Preliminary results of field trials conducted on the North Coast near Astoria suggests that they can. “UAS technology has prom- ise to be relatively inexpensive and safe — much safer — than the way we survey elk now, which is generally from a heli- copter,” said Biederbeck, a wildlife biologist with ODFW for 38 years. This year’s field trial in Clatsop County is the first time that UAS technology has been used to count elk in Oregon, although ODFW has used drones to survey salmon spawning in rivers and as well as cormorant abundance along the Oregon coast. ODFW conducts yearly elk population/composition sur- veys to make sure that age and sex ratios stay healthy. “It’s part of our mission to monitor these populations to ensure they are being well man- aged for the public,” said Biederbeck. This year drones were used in two field trials, one in January and another in March. The first tested the drone cam- era’s ability to capture imagery that allows biologists to classi- fy elk by age and sex. A later field trial tested the aircraft’s ability to measure elk densities in forest stand types, another useful metric for managing elk. ODFW currently contracts helicopters at a cost of $1,000 to $1,100 an hour to do this job. The agency staffs them with ODFW employees who look for and document elk in flights conducted year after year over the same survey units for statis- tical accuracy. Between manned and unmanned, each aerial system has its advantages and disad- vantages, according to Biederbeck, who notes that with a helicopter observers can view great expanses of land- scape in real time by scanning their eyes in front and to the sides of the airship. Crew members can also ask the pilot to reposition the machine for a better look at ani- mals, which can be especially helpful when it comes to distin- guishing elk calves from adults. In addition, helicopters are much heavier and more power- ful than drones and can fly in a wider range of weather condi- tions. The down side is unless they have a hand-held camera on board, observers only get one chance to classify elk — right then and there. In addition to their relatively low cost, drones have the advantage of recording images that can be reviewed on a com- puter back at the office. Human safety is one major benefit of the UAS. People can get hurt or even killed in a helicopter. For example, two ODFW biolo- gists, Holly Huchko and Eric Himmelreich, suffered broken bones but fortunately survived a helicopter crash a few years ago while conducting fish sur- veys on the Umpqua River in southern Oregon. The drones used in this year’s experiment on the North Coast cost about $1,700 apiece, according to Burnett, although the thermal sensor adds another $3,500 to the cost of the sys- tem. As darkness gives way to dawn, the first of two drones is prepared for flight. It is jet black in color, with flashing red night lights on the sides, and thermal imaging equipment on board. Its job is to detect elk hidden in the trees by keying in on their heat signatures with a heat-sensitive infrared camera. A second drone — white, and equipped with a high defi- nition video camera — will fly as soon as the black one gets back from its mission. The video camera is mount- ed on a gimbal that lets the drone operator tilt, turn, and pan the camera with a joystick that can also steer the aircraft. After a turn at the end of one run along the serpentine- shaped run, the camera swivels from pointed directly at the ground to straight ahead toward the next GPS waypoint. The recording is set to overlap video from each pass so the video from each stretch can be “stitched together” with imag- ing software to so that every inch of the survey area is pic- tured. The drones can fly essential- ly the same survey areas as hel- icopter in a single flight, according to Biederbeck, but likely take more passes because cameras do not have the same field of view as humans, who are able to scan the whole hori- zon and turn quickly from side to side with a simple twist or turn of the head. With takeoff just minutes away, Burnett double-checks the flight path glowing from a laptop in the back of his SUV. A yellow line on the computer screen shows the exact course the aircraft will follow, a series of switchbacks. The route is made by programming GPS coordinates into the drone’s navigation system ahead of time. Each flight lasts about 30 minutes, and the drone follows GPS coordinates automatically, although the pilot can override the navigation software to assume control the vehicle manually. FAA rules require a designat- ed spotter be present and main- tain visual contact with the air- craft throughout the flight. The aircraft are battery-powered and are programmed to return to base automatically whenever they detect their batteries are getting low. This technology is a poten- tially powerful tool for con- ducting scientific inquiry, according to Burnett, although many regulatory barriers to RV’ers, PARTS we are your complete RV and SERVICE Tickets available for SportsTown Awards dinner The second-annual SportsTown Awards, presented by the Eugene, Cascades and Coast Sports Commission will be held Thursday, June 1, with returning master of ceremonies Jordan Kent. The dinner and recognition night will be at the Valley River Inn in Eugene. Awards categories include Male and Female Student Athlete of the Year, Athletic Trainer of the Year, Athlete with Heart, Sustainable Sports Event of the Year, Inspirational Coach of the Year, Sports Promotion of the Year, Fan of the Year, Mascot of the Year and the SportsTown Legacy Award. The ceremony will introduc- ing a new interactive Student Nominee Recognition Exhibit sponsored by FastSigns and Long’s Meat Market. Tickets are on sale now and are available for purchase at SportsTownAwards.com. Tickets are $35 per person and include admission to the event, complementary soft drinks and small plate appetiz- ers. For more information, con- tact Janis Ross, Executive Director Eugene, Cascades and Coast Sports Commission, 541-743-8753 or email her at Janis@EugeneCascadesCoast. org. effective implementation remain, notably Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules. “Throughout this study there have been two major regulatory limitations to assessing the true cost-benefit of using UAS for elk survey,” said Burnett. One limitation is the current 400- foot altitude ceiling. The other is the requirement to maintain line of sight on the aircraft dur- ing its flight. Higher altitudes and greater coverage area on each flight would translate to fewer flights and lower odds of counting the same animals more than once, according to Burnett. “This technology demonstra- tion is one small step in bridg- ing the gap between what we currently can do and what we ultimately want to do,” he said. Biederbeck and Burnett expect to extend this research by seeking FAA waivers and perhaps acquiring a fixed-wing UAS with up to three-hour flight endurance that may be equipped with both thermal and color cameras. “There is more operational technology out there. We’ll have to see how costs and FAA regulations affect our ability to use them,” said Biederbeck. Automotive Repair Facility PARTS SERVICE On Site Repairs In shop or Mobile ASE CERTIFIED TECH for Truck, Auto and RV Repair 541-997-8287 Oregon Hatchery Board seeks two new members ALSEA — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking two new members to represent the agricultural industry and the Columbia River gillnet salmon fishery on the Oregon Hatchery Research Center Board. The successful candidates will each serve a three-year term. Candidates must submit an application and provide three references by June 30, 2017. The ODFW Director will appoint the new members in the summer of 2017. The application is available at www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/ OHRC/recruitments.asp. The board is charged with advising the OHRC Director on operational, budget and research priorities at the research center. As directed by Oregon House Bill 3441, the OHRC Board is required to include 12 members representing a variety of groups including agriculture and Columbia River commercial fishing. Additional details about the Board’s responsibilities can be found in HB 3441, avail- able at www.dfw.state.or .us/fish/OHRC/docs/2013/HB _3441.pdf. The OHRC is a cooperative research project between ODFW and OSU. The center’s mission is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms that may cre- ate differences between hatch- ery and wild fish, and devise ways to reduce and manage the differences so that hatch- eries can be used responsibly in the conservation and man- agement of Oregon’s native fish. For more information about the OHRC Board or how to apply, contact Kerrie Tarkinton at kerrie.j.tarkinton @state.or .us or call 503-947- 6226. Woody Woodbury 2066 Highway 101, Florence 541-997-0343 Independent Owner/Operator Florence Grocery Outlet 1SPEVDFt%BJSZ%FMJ )FBMUI#FBVUZ 'SP[FO'PPETt'SFTI.FBU )PVTFXBSFTt#FFS8JOF 0SHBOJD/BUVSBM'PPETBOENVDINPSF We have ample RV parking! Has it been 5 years or more since your tank was pumped? Then it’s time! 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Opening in 1894 the Heceta Head Lighthouse can be seen 21 nautical miles off the Oregon coast. The free public tours are filled with people who want to learn about the lightstation and the Oregon coast. Tours continue from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Tours occur daily (except Wednesdays) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours during special events and by appointment occur throughout the year. For more information about tours or volunteering at the Lightstation, contact Misty Anderson at misty@heceta lighthouse.com or call 866- 547-3696. Tim Sapp Owner / Principal Broker 541 999-8230 Oak St. #1302 – Commercial opportunity near Fred Meyer with all city services available at the property line. Flexible highway zone allows for many commercial and multi-family residential uses. Adjacent lot .6 acre with Highway 101 frontage is also for sale. $250,000. #2695- 17282628 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 Let Paul show you a new car or truck. Stop by today! VOICE YOUR OPINION! 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