Robotto enters the middle eastern market with the addition of Seeracom to a growing network

Danish drone technology partners with Omani Seeracom, connecting the Gulf industry and local organizations with powerful artificial intelligence software to increase safety, save lives, and save nature.

“We are very excited to be working with Robotto, and feel that their innovative solutions and proven capabilities, will meet the needs of our end users in many of the various markets we are working with.” Paul Brown, Sales Director at Seeracom.

Seeracom is one of ten distributors worldwide, elevating the gulf’s ability to utilize artificial intelligence in aerial operations. Seeracom will act as Robotto’s local partner for firefighting, search and rescue, wildlife tracking and management, and maritime and site management drone software applications in the future.

“Our partnership with Seeracom will establish a direct pipeline to future applications ensuring usability amongst end-users and ensure the usability of applications in development beyond their initial pilot projects.” Kenneth Richard Geipel, CO-Founder & CEO of Robotto

About Robotto: The world’s most advanced intelligent drone software. Robotto’s platform enables drone users to upgrade their effectiveness with artificial intelligence. The company provides emergency services and wildlife management with bespoke software via Robotto’s drone software platform.

Robotto:

Christine Thaagaard

cqt@robotto.ai

+45 27683558

Seeracom:

Paul Brown

paul@seeracom.com

Read more about Robotto's partner network here: https://www.robotto.ai/partner-network

Danish government awards ai-software startup large sum to implement LiDAR technology

The Danish startup, Robotto, creators of ai-drone software for wildfire reconnaissance, has received $95,724 from the Danish innovation fund to explore LiDAR technology's ability to aid the software in gathering smoke data.

Smoke remains one of the most important indicators of a wildfire’s behavior. The company’s current software utilizes computer vision and thermal data to provide real-time fire data while in the field. As the software utilizes computer vision and thermal imaging, smoke remains evasive to the hardware. A fire’s smoke indicates where the fire is, and where it is heading, providing fire analysts with insight into the fire’s future behavior.

While the flames of a wildfire leave a visible scar on the face of nature and property, smoke leaves a lasting, yet invisible mark on the lungs of firefighters and the walls of homes nearby, causing issues long after the flames have been extinguished. Wildfire smoke is a “mix of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plants, buildings, and other material” which, when inhaled, presents an elevated risk of developing lunch cancer. (CDC)

Firefighters and communities affected by the wildfire are at “an increased risk for different types of cancer due to the smoke and hazardous chemicals” present during a wildfire. (The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) In upgrading the software with LiDAR technology, Robotto looks to equip fire captains with the most detailed and accurate fire data, giving them the information they need to get the job done while protecting their team from the dangers of smoke inhalation.

“We look forward to exploring the capabilities of LiDAR technology and believe wholeheartedly that finding a method of providing firefighters with real-time smoke data will help fire departments, not only contain the fire faster but stay safe while they do so.” Co-Founder and CEO Kenneth Richard Geipel.

AI drone software to ensure a future for Arctic species

In partnership with the WWF, Robotto plans to create unique biodiversity drone software, supporting census operations for Arctic animal wildlife. One might wonder, why is an updated census of Arctic wildlife needed, and how can drone software help? In this article we dive into why biodiversity census operations are needed, and how Robotto’s AI-powered drone software can streamline this operation, making it not only more sustainable but more effective.

Climate Change in the Arctic

According to the WWF “The Arctic’s average temperature has already risen at a rate of almost three times the global average.” Warming faster than any other region on earth, the Arctic landscape, and ecosystem is experiencing an amplified change in climate, affecting traditional migration routes and behavior of herds across the region- the long-term effects of which are unknown. Disruption of traditional migration routes has proven to be detrimental for the Canadian Reindeer (Caribou), with an approximate loss of 90% of the total population.

Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010: Indicator #02, Wild Reindeer and Caribou

An example of one of these populations is the Dolphin Strait reindeer. In spring, herds typically cross frozen waters, leading them to new grazing areas. Warmer temperatures, however, have begun to thaw these waters earlier in the season. Coupled with a “reduced amount of food in winter” the animals struggle to cross, leading to an increased “probability of them drowning in the crossing”. (Wegner, 2020)

This change in migration patterns places an added burden on specific geographical areas, putting the region’s vegetation at risk. The increase in vegetation consumption depletes vegetation resources at a hastened rate. Unlike vegetation in other regions, Arctic vegetation regenerates slower, thus, increased consumption of vegetation over a shorter period of time threatens the longevity of animal herds.

Greenlandic Musk Oxen

While the connection might seem distant, the story of Reindeer populations throughout the arctic raises alarm bells for other animal species in the region. Musk Oxen hold an important role among native communities, making the survival of the species through this difficult period of climate change of the utmost importance.

The WWF has identified Jameson Land in northeast Greenland as the project’s first focus area. More than 25% of the world’s Musk Oxen population live in the area, and the role of Musk Oxen as a key part of the community has been solidified over centuries. Traditionally, the climate of the area supports the oxen, with their thick woolen coat and massive makeup, allowing them to weather extreme arctic temperatures and storms. Climate change is, however, altering the Arctic ecosystem, shifting the landscape and climate of the animals’ natural habitat. Learning from the effect of climate change on the Reindeer population, the WWF is looking to increase the frequency in which biodiversity censuses are conducted. In doing so the organization will gain a better overview of the animal population, increasing the probability of successful partnerships with local authorities and interest groups, and ensuring the survival of a species.

It’s a balancing act

Balance is key, without it, animal populations can be thrown into disarray. Altered terrains and changes in weather patterns threaten this balance, putting the entire Arctic ecosystem in danger what WWF’s project coordinator for Greenland and the Arctic, Kaare Winther Hansen has identified as the two possible outcomes of climate change:

1. Climate change has fostered an increase in the population. This increase in numbers has the potential to wear down Arctic vegetation, leading to extinction over time due to the elongated regeneration pattern.

2. Climate change has been detrimental to the population, leading to a hastened extinction due to the lack of nutrients for increased numbers.

Understanding the animal population is the first step in ensuring climate change hasn’t altered this natural balance. Traditional animal censuses are conducted using helicopters and planes, with visual observers identifying animals. This method is not only time-consuming but costly to the environment as helicopters and planes require vast amounts of fuel, furthering emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change.

The last time census was conducted of the musk oxen population was in the year 2000. With no census planned in the future and warning signs from other Arctic animal populations, an alternative system is needed to detect which possible scenario the Musk Oxen are headed for.

Drones- ready for service

The partnership between the WWF and Robotto signifies a readiness to investigate how technology, specifically AI, can help reduce the reliance on traditional aerial surveillance methods, simplifying biodiversity management, and allowing for more frequent censuses.

Leveraging Robotto’s existing neural network and architecture, developers at Robotto will adjust and train the AI models to identify Musk Oxen, both individually and as herds. In addition to this, Robotto’s state-of-the-art flight path generator and autonomous flight capabilities, Robotto Aviator, will enable fixed-wing drones with a flight time of two to six hours to autonomously survey vast areas at an increased speed. The software will then compute the data, providing researchers with analyzed numbers; allowing them to fully understand the effects climate change has had on the animal population.

To learn more about this project, and other WWF projects please visit: https://wwf.dk/om-os/hvor-kaemper-vi/projekt-droner-taeller-moskusokser/