Ecologists at the Zurich University are helping break down barriers to drone ownership with an eye toward monitoring the world's threatened forests. Through buying parts from China and the U.S., employing open-source flight software and harnessing a DIY ethic, the researchers have created a drone that could be replicated by forest managers the world over for about $2,000, according to The Wall Street Daily.
The drone, equipped with a video camera, can fly for 45 minutes, reach an altitude of about 820 feet and cover an area of about 250 acres; it runs on a lithium-ion battery. Co-inventor Lian Pin Koh told The Wall Street Daily that the technology, originally developed to monitor orangutans, is already being used on Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, as well as in Malaysia.
The aircraft is about one-fifth as expensive as comparable drones, and its creators hope they can convince environmental groups and government agencies around the world to adopt the technology. They plan to post construction and operation instructions online soon.
