Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

RME Geomatics is a division of a large publicly traded company, Rocky Mountain Equipment, that specializes in airbornesurveying technology using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), popularly referred to as drones. Industrial applicationsinclude remote sensing and high-resolution mapping of agricultural lands, forest resources and infrastructure using LiDAR(light detection and ranging), multispectral imaging, and thermal infrared technologies. These services are delivered throughthe proprietary RENEGADE system, a rotor-based UAV with an 11 kg equipment payload, 2-hour flight time, low altitudeand hover capabilities, and autonomous navigation. The system is easily transported and can be deployed without the needfor a runway, and is marketed as a safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional fixed-wing aircraft surveys. The companycurrently holds an unspecified-location (blanket) Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) issued by Transport Canadafor all regions of Canada, with the result that surveys can be rapidly scheduled and conducted.Based on recent consultations with potential industrial and academic research groups, RME Geomatics has identified a newmarket for its UAV service and would like to examine the potential use of its UAV technology in the field of biotelemetry,specifically as it relates to the electronic tracking of fish in freshwater ecosystems. Currently, there are no companiesmarketing their UAV services to track aquatic wildlife and RME is looking to evaluate the effectiveness of using telemetryequipment mounted on their UAVs to understand if they can provide data that is more accurate, more economical andprovide to the client faster than the traditional boat side telemetry data collection method.Biotelemetry systems transmit wireless information from a transmitter (tag) placed in a living organism to a remote antennaand receiver, and can help gain insights into fish behaviour, migrations, habitat use, and survival that would otherwise bedifficult given the limitations on direct visual observation in the aquatic environment (Cooke et al., 2013). Significanttechnological advancements have been made since biotelemetry was first used to monitor fish movements in the 1950s,resulting in the miniaturization, enhanced sensitivity, and improved longevity of equipment components.However, themethods used for manual telemetric tracking of wildlife over this time have remained relatively unchanged.Manual trackingusing boats, or aerial surveys using fixed wing or rotary aircraft are the most commonly used field methods when using radiotelemetry, and both have significant challenges associated with their use (Kuechle and Kuechle, 2012).The environmental impact of new and existing infrastructure developments on aquatic wildlife hasbecome a sensitive topic. New and innovative solutions are needed to understand and addresspotential impact on the environment. RME believes this market could be lucrative for its service.Currently, there is no company offering or marketing UAV services to research instructions involvedin traditional telemetry. RME Geomatics is conservative with its first year revenues estimates. Thecompany believes this work will result in an additional ten flights in year one, which would increaserevenues by $65,000. Moreover, the company and founders believe that though word of mouthand a strategic marketing campaign targeted at research groups, these flights will more than doublein subsequent years, which would increase these revenues to $250,000 by year three. Thisincrease in demand of their service would require hiring additional flight teams, and additionallogistics and support staff.