Prodrone and GEEP Forest announce "Bear Border Defense Project" - Integrating creation of "bear infestation hazard map" using LiDAR survey and border patrol using patent-pending "beast pest repelling drone" -

“Animal pest driving drone” jointly developed by GEEP Forest and Prodrone

Prodrone Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, President and CEO: Shunsuke Totani, hereinafter referred to as Prodrone) and GEEP Forest Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Representative Director: Hiroto Sone, hereinafter referred to as GEEP In response to the problem of bears and other wild animals infesting urban areas, which has become a serious issue across the country in recent years, Forest is pleased to announce the Bear Zoning Project, which utilizes technology to clearly separate living areas from wild animal habitats.

This project is a comprehensive solution to counter animal damage that combines the use of a ``beast pest repelling drone'' jointly developed and patented by Prodrone and GEEP Forest, the creation of a ``bear infestation hazard map'' using laser surveying technology, and bear/borderline surveillance patrols using drones from a long-term perspective.■BackgroundHuman damage caused by bears and their appearance in urban areas are becoming more serious, and social anxiety is increasing. Up until now, the two companies have developed and operated a ``wildlife repellent drone'' that chases away birds and beasts that have wandered into human areas. However, in order to fundamentally solve the problem, we believe that an integrated approach that ``keeps bears away from human habitats'' and ``manages the boundaries between humans and bears'' is essential, which led to the launch of this project.■Solution overviewThis project will take measures in the following two phases.1. [Survey/Visualization] Creation of a “bear infestation hazard map” using drone laser surveyingWe will utilize "Drone Laser Surveying (LiDAR)" technology cultivated in the forestry field. A laser is irradiated from the sky to acquire and analyze not only the terrain within the forest, but also the presence or absence and location information of wild animals from the gaps between the trees. By applying AI analysis to the acquired point cloud data, we will be able to grasp the actual state of animal habitat over a wider range and more accurately than conventional methods, and create a "bear infestation hazard map" that visualizes bear habitats and routes into urban areas.

Point cloud data at flight altitude 125m and flight speed 8m/s (provided by Visual Systems Co., Ltd.)

From the acquired point cloud data, it is possible to identify animals by manually deleting unnecessary data from the data on the positions where people are standing within the area. We successfully remove unnecessary objects such as trees and identify the growing area.

Point cloud data at flight altitude 70m and flight speed 5m/s (provided by Visual Systems Co., Ltd.)

2. [Defense/Patrol] Border security using “beast pest driving drones”Based on the hazard map, a ``boundary line'' (defense line) will be established between the living areas of humans and bears. ``Animal harm driving drones'' will patrol this line. This aircraft is equipped with an infrared camera, powerful lights, and bear spray (repellent), and when a bear is detected near the boundary line, it will issue warnings and guidance from the air, and if necessary, will send spray to drive it away to prevent it from entering the city.■About the equipment used•Research drone (Prodrone PD-4BM / Voyager, etc.) Equipped with a high-precision laser scanner, it collects three-dimensional structure inside the forest and animal identification data.
　•Developed based on the knowledge of GEEP Forest, a drone for driving away wild animals. Infrared cameras make it easy to find them at night, and they can be dealt with safely from the air without humans getting too close. We are currently applying for a patent for this device.■Comments from representatives of each companyGEEP Forest Co., Ltd. Representative Director Hiroto Sone

“While working on pest control measures at forestry sites for many years, I became keenly aware of the need for advance detection and environmental maintenance, rather than just driving them away.We have further evolved the pest repellent drone, which was realized with the cooperation of Prodrone, to address the pressing issue of bear damage. We would like to participate in this project, even in a small way, with the aim of eradicating the pests.We have people involved in pest extermination based on regional plans, and we would like to provide Prodrone with information unique to mountain sites.

Shunsuke Toya, President and Representative Director of Prodrone Co., Ltd.

"We are confident that our drone technology can contribute to resolving the major issue of harmonizing local communities and nature. We hope to reduce the number of unfortunate encounters with bears and realize a sustainable coexistence society by combining visualization through surveying technology and environmental maintenance using our forestry knowledge, rather than just repelling bears."

This project is at the conceptual stage, but preparations for demonstration experiments are already underway. In the future, we will deepen our collaboration with local governments, forestry-related parties, and research institutions that share our vision, and aim to package ``hazard map creation'' and ``patrol operations'' tailored to the characteristics of each region. At the same time, in line with the recent trend of ``creating forests that take into account biodiversity,'' which has been spreading worldwide in recent years, we will also explore the possibility of creating environments where animals can live in their natural habitats, and pursue sustainable solutions that combine safety through technology with the restoration of ecosystems.■Company overview[GEEP Forest Co., Ltd.] https://geepforest.jp/ This is a forestry company operating in Gifu Prefecture. We are working on afforestation to create forests and production of materials that make use of forests. We would like to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society with the slogan, "Forests are crying. We want to leave a rich forest and natural environment to the children of the future."

[What is Prodrone Co., Ltd.] https://www.prodrone.com With the vision of "becoming the most trusted drone company in the region," we aim to build a drone ecosystem in the Chubu region. We provide a one-stop service for everything from development to production of industrial drones, including the PD6B-Type3 multicopter, which has started mass production with a maximum recommended payload of 20kg, and the Prodrone GT-M, which can fly long distances (100km tested).