{"id":454,"date":"2013-11-08T20:47:02","date_gmt":"2013-11-08T20:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fusion360.wpengine.com\/design-challenge-build-a-better-uav-save-rhinos\/"},"modified":"2025-01-24T19:02:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T03:02:07","slug":"design-challenge-build-a-better-uav-save-rhinos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/design-challenge-build-a-better-uav-save-rhinos\/","title":{"rendered":"Design Challenge: Build a better UAV, save rhinos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"rhinoshutterstocksmall.jpg\"
<\/center><\/center>
\nIt\u2019s been a bad year for rhinos.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

100 rhinos were killed in South Africa just\u00a0in the last five weeks<\/a>\u00a0and we\u2019re on track to\u00a0lose over 1000<\/a>\u00a0to poachers. \u00a0As there are just only around\u00a05000 black rhinos left<\/a>\u00a0in South Africa this is a big deal. If this trend continues we will see the total demise of this species as well as most other wild rhinoceros over the span of this next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rhino<\/center>\u00a0Source:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Data published by South African Department of Environmental Affairs (2013)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Rhino poaching is especially cruel and horrifyingly graphic. The act typically involves heavy tranquilizer guns and a chainsaw to remove the horn all while the rhino is still alive. The animal is then left to bleed out.<\/span><\/p>\n


\nOne member of the Fusion 360 community is doing something about it.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For those of you who don\u2019t know\u00a0Stan Hisel<\/a>, he\u2019s one of our Fusion community\u2019s best. Stan and I had the pleasure of meeting last summer when he came out to our elite user beta conference here in Portland. We\u2019ve kept in touch since and he\u2019s a blast to work with.\u00a0 He has tinkered with Bill Gates and Paul Allen on mainframes, owned a retail store for Commodore computers, and rocked out with Mick Fleetwood (because Mick was in town and liked the acoustics of Stan\u2019s space). Professionally he\u2019s done biomedical devices, precast concrete, and all sorts of crazy robotics projects. Recently he was one of our guests on our Fusion Hangout around his work in\u00a0glassware<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 because, you know, why not?<\/span><\/p>\n

Today Stan works professionally on UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). He can\u2019t talk about the actual projects he is working on, but he\u2019s always very generous with his time in advocating how this technology is useful for benevolent purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s talk Rhinos.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Stan, and many others like him, sees UAV technology as critical in protecting dwindling Rhino populations. Last summer he worked on UAVs to track the migration patterns of geese in Colorado. He says the same concepts could be used to track and capture poachers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poachers move fast as a lot use helicopters. Presently, wildlife preserve security teams can\u2019t keep up. UAVs can change that.\u00a0 A few wide range UAVs with aerial optical and heat sensing equipment would allow security teams to move and precisely to where they are needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The technology exists. The only challenge standing in the way is that good UAVs costs millions of dollars.\u00a0 The average wage in South Africa is around $1\/day. The money just isn\u2019t there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Introducing the Fusion 360 \u201cBuild a Better UAV Challenge!\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Build<\/strong><\/p>\n

ADX and the local PDX drone group<\/a> to host a two weekend challenge event (December 7\/8 & 14\/15) to see what a group of motivated and passionate flying enthusiasts in the Portland area can do to optimize the low-cost kit Stan has assembled.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to focus on anything mechanical that can make the UAV design lighter, cheaper, easier to fabricate, more reliable, stronger, and\/ or stiffer. We\u2019re going to be using Fusion 360 to facilitate the design<\/a> and collaboration<\/a>. Everything we do is going to be open source. Anyone in Portland or on the internet can participate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"uavpic.jpg\"<\/span><\/center>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should join us! The challenge itself is in Portland but the project is open source online.\u00a0The event itself has no cost to participate. Your team is just responsible for the cost of your materials (think in the ballpark of $150-$300. It depends on what you use).\u00a0<\/center>Want to help? Sign up here:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>http:\/\/autode.sk\/1hoj4mR
\n<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Just email me at michael.aubry@autodesk.com if you’d just like to be added to the group project within Fusion 360 or have questions.<\/p>\n

More To Come!\u00a0<\/strong>In the upcoming weeks we\u2019ll be updating you about what\u2019s happening. We\u2019re expecting great things. We hope you decide to join us!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Very Best,<\/span>
\nMike Aubry<\/span>
\nTechnical Marketing Manager, Fusion 360<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BuildABetterUAVChallengeweb.jpg\"<\/span><\/center>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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